Gaara's Daybreak
by The Disciple of Pein
Summary: Through fierce loyalty and a glimmer of hope, Gaara walks the road of Madara's will, one that leads only to pain. Is there an angel watching over him, or is it he that watches her? Can their existence overcome the curse of the Rikudo Sennin?
1. The child of the sand

This is my first fanfic. I remember seeing a picture of Gaara in an akatsuki cloak and began to wonder _"what if?"_ so here it is, the first chapter of many... hopefully.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. if i did i wouldn't be writing fanfics of it.

**

* * *

****The child of the sand**

It was a dark night in Suna. The winds were quiet and the sands were still. The inhabitants were in a deep slumber, with only the guards and vermin of the desert stalking shadows. The scene appeared to be tranquil. But all was not well.

Inside the hospital of Sunagakure, a woman was preparing for the birth of her baby and a Kazekage was preparing for the birth of his weapon.

On the roof of the hospital stood a lone figure bathed in the light of the full moon, the only discernable feature being his shining red eyes.

"_Tonight is the night the ichibi is to be sealed." _Madara thought to himself, _"Now is probably the best time to take it."_

The infamous Uchiha then leapt off the building to the wall of the one opposite, he then pivoted in midair so that his feet landed on the wall before he forced himself back off it and into the open hospital window.

Brushing the dust off his armour, Madara set off into the hallway, moving silently and listening intently. After checking a few of the rooms, concluding that the hospital was empty, he found a staircase and paused.

…

…

.."-ettle ready?"

"Hm?" The voice sounded as if it had come from downstairs. Treading lightly, Madara descended the staircase in search of the source.

"Yes Kazekage-sama, it is ready."

Madara reached the bottom of the staircase and found himself facing a door with a pale light shining through the opaque window.

"Chiyo-san, how is she holding up?" the Kazekage asked, although it was obvious he didn't care.

"She's fine Kazekage-sama, now can we get this over with? I'm supposed to be retiring!" the elder Chiyo replied.

"_Chiyo?"_ Madara thought, _"It would appear that there aren't many Suna shinobi that practice Fūinjutsu_ _if all they have is that old crow."_

He then silently picked the lock on the door and waited for the right moment to make his move.

"Everyone step around the circle and mould your chakra." the Kazekage ordered.

"Hai Kazekage-sama!" said everyone else in the room, excluding Chiyo who grumbled to herself.

Though unclear, Madara could see several figures form a wide circle and begin making hand signs, meanwhile a hysterical woman could be heard from inside.

"Please stop this, please… don't do this… STOP IT!" she screamed. However, when it became apparent that the Kazekage had no intentions of doing so, her attitude changed completely.

"…Hee-hee-hee. A-ha, aha-ha-ha-ha-ha… HAA-HA-HAA-HA-HA-HA-HAAA!" suddenly she gasped, "Who's that?"

Madara tensed, had he been spotted?

"Is that? Yes, it is! It's him! He's coming, to kill you all! Come on, come out & kill them… GAARA!"

"_Gaara?" _Madara thought, _"How interesting."_

The woman continued laughing and cursing everyone in the room. She then started screaming in pain, which shortly ended in the sound of a baby's cry. But Madara's attention was suddenly diverted when he noticed chakra beginning to gather in the centre of the circle.

"_Good, they are now focusing on their chakra. It's now or never."_

* * * * *

It was Yashamaru who first spotted it, he was on his way to bring his sister some of her favourite books, knowing she would be bored out of her mind. But as he turned the corner the books he was carrying hit the ground with a dull _thud_. Smoke was pouring from out of the hospital. Yashamaru stood frozen for a few seconds before shaking his head & running towards the hospital.

"KARURA!" he yelled.

Hearing his voice, several of the shinobi on guard turned in the direction of the hospital & immediately sounded the alarm. In minutes the place was surrounded by ninja, all of them searching for survivors. Suddenly a jounin kunoichi appeared on top of a roof & called out.

"THE KAZEKAGE IS INSIDE!" she yelled.

On hearing this, everyone redoubled their efforts, they were all clearly desperate to rescue their leader.

Inside the building the smoke was thickening. A few shinobi used Fūton jutsu to blow the smoke away, but most had to make do holding pieces of cloth to their mouths.

"OVER HERE!" a chunin shouted.

Everyone who heard rushed in the direction of the voice, it had come from downstairs.

Outside the basement was where the smoke was thickest. The heat coming from the room was immense, but the shinobi couldn't see were it was coming from, the room was completely dark but a roaring sound could clearly be heard, almost like fire?

Confused the chunin decided to enter the room. A few seconds later two jounin reached the bottom of the stairs only to have the chunin barrel into them covered in flames… black flames.

* * * * *

On the roof a hotel on the other side of the village stood a lone figure bathed in the light of the full moon, the only discernable feature being his shining red eyes. In his arms was a small bundle, squirming and wailing.

"_Gaara. It would seem your mother had a wish for you. Well, she was an unnecessary casualty so as a mercy I will grant her wish. And who knows? Perhaps one day you will be of use to me. So grow strong child, so you can repay the gift of power I shall grant you."_

And so Madara stared deeply into the tiny baby's eyes and uttered the first words the child would hear.

"Mangekyo Sharingan."

* * * * *

Early the next morning the shinobi gave up. For some reason they could not douse the strange black flames, which were obviously a jutsu of some kind. They instead decided to bring the hospital down on top of the flames. As the dust settled some of the shinobi left. It was clear that they had been infiltrated and should try to find some evidence as to the location of the enemy shinobi.

Yashamaru, however, was too distraught to search and instead headed back to his apartment to get some rest. The sun was rising but the streets were still empty.

"_Karura," _he thought, _"Why would someone do this? What was going on down there? And her baby too. God, Temari & Kankuro are all alone now."_

"I guess… for you Karura" he whispered, "… I'll look after your children for you."

"How fortunate."

Yashamaru's head snapped upwards, locking on to a pair of red eyes. Then darkness.

* * * * *

Yashamaru opened his eyes, _"What happened?"_ he thought, rubbing the back of his head.

He was laying down on the ground in the same alley, and judging from the sun's position in the sky, little to no time had passed.

Groaning, he rose unsteadily when he noticed something on the ground… a baby?

Picking the child up, Yashamaru lifted a fold in the cloth covering the baby and gasped.

"_Is this? No, it can't be. It's impossible!"_

"…Gaara." he whispered, then he froze.

Gaara? Who was that? Looking closer at the baby he thought for a second.

"_This child is named Gaara. He is the child of the Kazekage and your sister. You shall raise him with his siblings."_

"_Yes." _Yashamaru thought, smiling, _"His name is Gaara. He is the child of the Kazekage and my sister. I shall raise him with his siblings."_

* * * * *

"Uncle Yashamaru?"

A three year old Temari was just waking up, rubbing her eyes and peering between her fingers. Yashamaru was sitting in a chair and Temari saw a strange something in his arms. Even at such an early age, Temari was pretty clever.

"Is that?" she whispered, eyes widening.

All of a sudden she was wide awake, throwing her quilt off and running over, climbing up onto her uncles lap before peeking in through the folds of the cloth. When she saw who was there she let out a little gasp. Yashamaru watched the two as they stared into each others eyes, aww, they looked kinda cute.

"Hi." she said, before turning to Yashamaru, "What's his name?"

"Oh, its Gaara."

"How come he doesn't have any eyebrows?"

Yashamaru laughed lightly. Temari was more observant than most chunin in Suna.

"I guess they just haven't grown in yet."

"How come his hair is red? Mommy & da- I mean, father have brown hair." she asked.

"That sometimes happens, I mean, you have blonde hair." Yashamaru explained, already tired with her inquisitive mind.

Apparently she was satisfied with this as she turned back towards Gaara, getting so close her nose touched his. Letting out a giggle, she jumped off the bed and dashed out of her room. Yashamaru chuckled and turned his attention towards Gaara and frowned when he thought he saw an annoyed look on the baby's face. Great, he was gonna be such a bundle of joy.

It was then that Temari rushed backed into the room, dragging Kankuro in with her. By his foot.

"Temari!" Yashamaru said, shocked.

"What?" Temari asked innocently, while her little brother struggled furiously.

"Put. Your brother. Down." Yashamaru replied sternly.

Temari smiled sweetly "OK!" and let go.

"Ow!" Kankuro yelled, landing on the floor.

Temari giggled, "Look Kanky, the baby's here!"

"I'm not a baby!" Kankuro huffed, fixing his hood which was covering his face. Yashamaru was sure that it was the Kazekage who decided Kankuro would dress like that, Karura definitely wouldn't have been so cruel as to make her child wear heavy black clothing in the middle of the desert.

Temari let out an sigh, "Not you, dummy. Baby." she said.

Yashamaru moved and crouched next to Kankuro, letting him see Gaara. Kankuro moved in as close as Temari had and Yashamaru could see him grinning broadly, before he leapt back with a yelp.

"He hit me!" he complained, and sure enough, they could see Gaara's tiny arm sticking out from the cloth, looking annoyed once more. Temari was rolling around on the floor, clutching her sides. Yashamaru was wearing a disapproving look but even he couldn't help it and started laughing too.

* * * * *

"How come you're here, uncle Yashamaru? Temari asked, crunching on her cereal.

Yashamaru was quiet for a while, he was feeding Gaara some formula he had bought on the way over and Kankuro, to Temari's disgust, was munching on a sandwich which had a filling of many different colours and textures.

"Well… I'm gonna have to move you guys into my apartment for a while." he answered.

"Huh, why?" Temari asked, a concerned look on her face.

Yashamaru shifted uneasily, which didn't go unnoticed.

"Well, you see, there's gonna be a new Kazekage soon and he or she will move in here."

"But father is the Kazekage." Temari said, as if Yashamaru hadn't realized.

"…Your father is… he, uh… had to step down."

"Why?"

Yashamaru cringed. Clearly Temari wasn't going to make this easy for him.

"Because of recent events, which I can't talk about, he can no longer protect this village like he could so now someone else will have to replace him."

"Does this mean father is going to be around more often?" she asked, quietly.

At this Yashamaru nearly broke down. He could tell she was afraid of her father.

"Temari, could you watch Gaara for a little while? I have to get Kankuro dressed."

Temari's mood changed instantly as she smiled broadly and stretched out her arms to take Gaara. Yashamaru lifted Kankuro and held him under his arm, with Kankuro giggling like an idiot. He then walked into the bathroom and Temari's smiled even wider as she saw the look of terror on her little brother's face.

* * * * *

It had been three weeks since Temari & her brothers moved in with Yashamaru and in all honesty, he hadn't expected them to fit together so well. Temari was really helpful, always asking if she could lend a hand, which usually meant pinning Kankuro to the ground while Yashamaru wiped god-knows-what off his face.

And whenever Temari wasn't doing that, she was usually holding Gaara. Honestly, Temari loved her baby brother. It was strange that she could go from holding Kankuro in a headlock one moment to feeding Gaara in the next.

At nights Temari and Kankuro shared a bedroom which otherwise had gone spare, and Gaara was put in a cot in Yashamaru's room.

But Yashamaru was worried about Gaara. Recently some documents were unveiled that the Kazekage had ordered the teakettle containing the demon, Shukaku, be brought to him. Now the kettle was missing and Yashamaru had feeling that it was now empty, and all the signs indicated that the demon was inside the little one but...

Gaara didn't sleep. The dark rings starting to form around his eyes were enough to attest to that. But from the medical training Yashamaru had he knew that there was nothing physically wrong with Gaara. Yashamaru tried lots of things. The lullaby didn't work, the lavender potpourri didn't work, the mobile only made Gaara dizzy, that was scrapped immediately in case it Made Gaara sick. After many failed attempts Yashamaru looked up at the clock which read 12:03 am. Way too late for a baby to be awake. So Yashamaru decided to try giving him a very weak and diluted sedative to help him sleep. It seemed to work but almost immediately he noticed Gaara's Rapid Eye Movement, which surprised him, he didn't know newborn babies could dream.

But suddenly Yashamaru's expression changed from one of wonder to horror. Gaara was writhing, as if in pain.

Acting quickly, he used focused his chakra to remove the sedative from Gaara's system then he gently woke the child.

Gaara's eyes opened slowly, as if scared of what he might see. What did he see?

"Sorry little guy." Yashamaru said, picking up & gently rocking Gaara who was crying loudly. Almost immediately Temari was running out of her room to see what was wrong with her little baby brother. Yashamaru handed Gaara down to Temari who sat down on the floor and hugged him & stroked his hair.

"It's ok, don't cry." she said, over and over, rocking lightly on the floor. Yashamaru smiled at the two, Gaara had already stopped crying and had his hand in Temari's hair making the little noises babies do when they're happy.

Yashamaru noticed a head peer out of Temari & Kankuro's room. Seeing his brothers face Kankuro smirked to himself.

"Mamas boy." he said, before ducking back in his room.

Hearing this Temari whipped her head round to yell at her other brother, accidentally hitting Gaara with one of her pigtails. Yashamaru laughed at the stupefied look on the tiny baby's face, he could see Gaara wondering _"What was that?!"_

Roughly fifteen minutes later, Yashamaru shooed Temari back into her room, and sat on the sofa with Gaara lying in his lap staring up at his uncle.

"_It's strange." _Yashamaru thought, _"All the evidence suggests that you are the Jinchūriki for Shukaku, the teakettle disappeared at the same time you appeared. The glyphs on the floor & Chiyo's body both make it obvious as to what the Kazekage was planning. You even seem to be suffering from having the demon inside you. But it's impossible for you to be the vessel because you don't have a seal on you. But if that's the case then why would you be having such vivid nightmares? Nothing that happened that night could have affected you so… could it?" _

"What happened that night?" Yashamaru whispered. Gaara just stared with his hand in his mouth.


	2. A new clan

**A new clan**

**Four years had passed since that night, and Yashamaru loved every moment of it. Temari had recently started at the shinobi academy of Suna and it was clear how much fun she was having by the big smile on her face when she came home. **

**Problem was, the years leading up to that made Temari & Gaara inseparable. The look on Temari's face when she saw a third bed in her and Kankuro's room! In a moment of cruelty, Yashamaru told her the bed was for old man Ebizo, who took care of the siblings while Yashamaru was working. Before Temari could react, a grinding noise could be heard from the room. As it turned out, Kankuro had been nearby and heard what they said. And now he was trying with all his might to drag the bed out of their room.**

"**Uh-uh, no way, not happening!" Kankuro said, straining with the heavy bed. **

**Yashamaru was laughing until Temari went in the room to help.**

**Gaara was just sitting in the corner holding his teddy bear, watching his big brother and sister pulling hard.**

"**Temari, Kankuwo." he said quietly, "I don't think Ebizo-san would fit in that bed."**

**Temari stopped, looked at the bed, frowning, then up at Yashamaru, glaring, and then over to Gaara, beaming.**

"**That's right!" she said, brightly, "My little brother's so clever!" giving him a hug.**

**When Temari first left for the academy, she was ecstatic. She was up & ready before Yashamaru had hit the snooze button on his alarm clock. And then to his surprise, even though he should've seen it coming, Gaara tried to go with Temari, who didn't exactly stop him. How she managed to fit him in her backpack Yashamaru will never know.**

**So now every time Temari left for the academy, Yashamaru had to keep Gaara close in case he tried to escape again. Which he did. Every time. It broke Yashamaru's heart to see him so down, but with rumours circulating about Gaara, he didn't really have a choice.**

**But in the afternoon, when Temari came home, not even the third Kazekage himself could stop Gaara from peeling out of the bedroom & wrapping his arms around Temari's waist, on the verge of tears. Once again Kankuro was there to comment.**

"**Aw how cute, did ya miss ya big sista?" he said, making a kissy-face.**

**Temari was about to yell at Kankuro when Gaara spoke first.**

"**Kankuwo." he said, turning slowly and glaring at his older brother, "Did you say something?"**

**A few seconds past as the brothers looked at each other, Gaara's eyes kept steady while Kankuro's confidence, and self control, failed him.**

"… **I - uh, I gotta go." Kankuro stammered, before turning and running into the bathroom. Yashamaru sniffed the air and cringed.**

**That evening Yashamaru decided to take the three of them down to the park. Temari & Kankuro were thrilled, but Gaara seemed uneasy. Yashamaru had decided to keep Gaara out of the public eye as much as possible. Classified information had a way of making its way around in a desert village and now most of the inhabitants believed what Yashamaru had thought all those years ago. But Temari received top marks in her last exam so Yashamaru thought it would be nice to treat them.**

"**First the park." he had said, "And then ice cream."**

**Temari & Kankuro eyes doubled in size. **_**Ice cream?**_

**Gaara looked from his siblings up to Yashamaru.**

"**What's ice cweam?" he asked.**

"**It's… HEAVEN!" Kankuro said with a dreamy look on his face.**

"**Come on you guys." Yashamaru said, walking off. Temari and Gaara caught up with him but after a brief head count Yashamaru glanced back & sighed.**

"**Temari, could you go get your brother?" he asked, "If he keeps drooling like that the council are gonna build a well at his feet."**

*** * * * ***

"**Hi guys! See ya later uncle Yashamaru!" Temari said brightly before running over to couple of her friends.**

"**Yo! Riku-kun!" Kankuro yelled out, running over to a little guy throwing stones at cans.**

**Yashamaru looked at the two, smiling, before realizing something.**

**Looking down at his side he saw Gaara still standing next to him, clutching his bear with an uncertain look in his eyes.**

"**Hey Gaara," he said, kneeling down to his nephew, "Why don't you go play on the swings, ok?"**

**Gaara looked up to Yashamaru, still wearing a worried expression, but when his uncle smiled warmly at him, Gaara nodded.**

"**Ok uncle Yashamaru." he said & walked over to the swings.**

**Yashamaru got back up & sighed. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to isolate Gaara like he had. The villagers had been very kind to Temari and Kankuro after their parents died, why not for Gaara too?**

"**Yashamaru-san."**

"**Hm?"**

**Yashamaru turned around to find a shinobi, who appeared to be a chunin.**

"_**What's this guy doing here?**_**" he thought.**

"**The council wishes to see you." the shinobi said.**

**Yashamaru groaned.**

"**Right now?" he said, thinking of Temari & her brothers.**

"**Those are the councils orders." the other man said, in an accusing manner.**

**Yashamaru sighed, "Alright just let me take my niece & nephews back home."**

**As Yashamaru turned to call out, the chunin quickly spoke.**

"**There is no need. I will watch them until you return." he said.**

"**Huh?" Yashamaru said, turning back, "Don't you have work to do?"**

**The chunin shook his head, "Passing on this message was my last job of the day."**

**Yashamaru regarded him for a moment. It was a little suspicious that this chunin would offer his services, when he was now off duty, to a complete stranger. But then again the council knew that Yashamaru had adopted the three little ones so maybe they asked the chunin to watch them if needed.**

**Yashamaru shook his head. Whatever the case he couldn't refuse an order from the council.**

"**Alright, but please watch them closely." he said.**

**Stealing a glance back at his family, Yashamaru used a Shunshin no jutsu to teleport away.**

*** * * * ***

**Gaara watched as Yashamaru disappeared.**

"_**Where did he go?" **_**he wondered, as the chunin who Gaara saw his uncle speaking with walked towards him.**

"**Hey little guy!" the chunin said sitting on the swing next to him, "Your uncle asked me to watch you for a little while so-"**

"**Hey!"**

**Gaara and the chunin both whipped their heads round to find Temari standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at the chunin.**

"**What do you think you're doing with my little brother?" she asked the chunin, who smiled at Temari.**

"**It's ok, your uncle had to run an errand so he asked me to watch you." he said, holding his hands in the air to show he meant no harm.**

"**Well watch from a distance!" Temari replied angrily.**

**The chunin stood, "You're lucky I don't hit kids." he growled.**

"**Yeah, yeah, walk away tough guy." she said as he left.**

**When Temari was satisfied that he was far enough away, she sat on the now empty swing and looked over at her little brother, who was silently rocking back & forth.**

"**You ok?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.**

**Gaara just stared at the ground. Temari sighed and rocked slowly alongside him. Across the park Kankuro and Riku were mock fighting & from the looks of things, Riku was winning. The park was placed in the middle of a square, with outdoor stores surrounding it. In some areas there were groups of adults talking amongst themselves, occasionally glancing in their direction. There was a light breeze, gently blowing through Gaara & Temari's hair.**

"**Temari?"**

"**Huh, yeah?"**

**Gaara sat silently for a few seconds, eyes fixed on his feet.**

"**Why does everyone die at night?" he asked.**

**Temari looked shocked "What do you mean?" she asked, staring intently at her younger brother.**

"**Every night, when uncle Yashamaru tells us to go to bed, I see you and Kankuro die. And when I stayed in uncle Yashamaru's room, he died too."**

**Temari frowned, "That doesn't mean we die. That means we're sleeping."**

**Gaara looked up at her, "Huh, what's sleeping?" he asked.**

**It was then that Temari saw it. The dark rings around Gaara's eyes. How could she not have noticed that? She gasped and her hand covered her mouth.**

"**Gaara," she whispered, "You don't sleep?"**

**Gaara shook his head, "M-mm. One time I thought I was supposed to die at night too. So I closed my eyes. But then I saw something really scary that made me open them again."**

**Temari got off the swing and hugged her little brother. Gaara could feel something wet on his neck.**

"**Oh Gaara. I'm so sorry, I'm your big sister, I should have realized you were in pain." she said, tears running down her face.**

**Gaara was looking at the back of Temari's head.**

"**What's pain?" he asked.**

**But before Temari could answer, Yashamaru rushed over.**

"**Hey, what's going on?" he asked, concern etched on his face.**

"**Uncle Yashamaru, something's wrong with Gaara!" Temari said, letting Gaara go.**

**Gaara looked at Temari, **_**"Huh? Something's wrong with me?"**_** he thought.**

"**What is it?" Yashamaru asked worriedly.**

"**He hasn't been sleeping!" Temari replied.**

**At this Yashamaru looked at Gaara. "Yeah, I know. Listen Temari, I need to take Gaara somewhere, do you think you and Kankuro could go get your ice cream yourselves?"**

**He then handed some money over to Temari.**

"**After that, head on back home. Ebizo-san will let you in."**

**Temari stared at her uncle for a few seconds.**

"**Ok." she said before hugging Gaara again and walking off to get her other brother.**

**Gaara looked up at Yashamaru, "Where are we going?" he asked.**

**Yashamaru crouched down and patted Gaara's head.**

"**I just need to check something. It's alright, we'll go home soon." he said, smiling."**

**Yashamaru then stood up & took Gaara's hand before heading off.**

**They had been walking for a while, silently. The last rays of sunlight had disappeared and the moon now shone brightly.**

"**Uncle Yashamaru?" Gaara asked nervously.**

"**Here it is." Yashamaru said, as they approached what appeared to be a run down building.**

**Gaara looked up to the top of the building, which was pretty far up.**

"**Why are we going in her uncle Yashamaru?" he asked.**

**Yashamaru pulled out a key & unlocked the door to the building. The inside was filled with dust, cobwebs & broken furniture. At the left side of the room was a door leading to a staircase.**

"**There's something inside that I need your help with." he said, walking inside, with Gaara at his heels.**

"**Me? What could I do?" Gaara asked, frowning.**

**Yashamaru smiled at him.**

"**Come on, I'll show you." he said.**

**With that they began climbing the staircase. After the first couple of floors, Gaara grew tired and couldn't keep up.**

"**Uncle Yashamaru, can we stop?" he asked, breathing heavily.**

**Yashamaru turned and picked Gaara up, placing him on his back.**

"**I'd like to get this over with." Yashamaru said, "So I'm gonna speed up. Hold on tight, ok?"**

**Gaara nodded & tightened his grip.**

**A few minutes later they had reached the top of the staircase. Yashamaru pushed open the door and stepped through into a room unlike the others. Inside, the room was clean and well furnished, with crimson drapes covering the windows. The room was very dark & had an eerie feel to it, like just being inside made you a little less innocent.**

**Yashamaru let Gaara down, who walked around the room, gazing in awe.**

**It wasn't just the drapes that were crimson, but the walls too. They had a swirling pattern in black all across them, as if the wind was blowing through. One side of the room had a black, marble fireplace, lightly shining from the small amount of moonlight coming from the chimney.**

**All of a sudden candles all around the room lit up. Gaara whipped his around the room, a fearful look in his eye, then he stopped.**

**On the wall, above the fireplace, was a beautiful painting.**

**In it was a mountainous landscape, with the summits reaching beyond the clouds. The centre of the mountains was split in the middle, with a river opening out to sea. And at the horizon, the sun was rising, fiery and red. But the ocean and river didn't reflect the colour of the sunlight, they instead shone with the white light of the moon.**

**As Gaara stared at the painting, he heard the door close & footsteps telling him that Yashamaru was now behind him.**

"**Beautiful, isn't it?" his uncle said, his voice sounding dreamy, "This painting certainly brings back memories."**

"**What is this place?" Gaara asked, captivated.**

"**This is a wondrous place, a secret & sacred place in the Land of Fire." Yashamaru said.**

"**The Land of Fire?" Gaara repeated, looking up at his uncle and froze.**

**His uncle was changing. His hair was growing longer and darkening. Soon it fell down his back, long black & spiky. His skin paled & he grew taller, Gaara's eyes following the other man as he grew. Then his clothes changed from the baggy shirt & pants, turning instead into red armour with tight black shirt & pants underneath.**

**Gaara watched as the man continued to stare at the painting. Gaara knew he should be afraid for his life, but he wasn't.**

"_**I- I know you." **_**he thought.**

**The man before him spoke, in a voice slightly deeper than his uncle's.**

"**This place was my home. This is where my clan was born. We called it Gensanchi."**

"**Who was your clan?" Gaara asked, to which the man smirked.**

"**Most people think that my clan was named after an uchiwa, mainly because we had a natural affinity for Katon jutsu. But that is only part true. You see this painting, here? **_**This **_**is my clan. We simply used an uchiwa because of its resemblance to this. I found it to be an incredibly lazy and insulting choice to name our great clan after a mere fan! I myself vouched for a different name but it was denied because "Uchiha was less complex!". Simple-minded fools."**

"**Uchiha? I don't know that clan." Gaara said, making the man smile.**

"**Of course you wouldn't. Not since its name was spat on by that teme Senju Hashirama! Now our formerly great clan is nothing more than a police force! When I left the clan I requested of them that anyone who felt as I did would follow me, and you know something? No-one did! After everything I had done for that clan not a single one would follow me! But now, now I have a new clan. A clan that I shall make the mightiest of all!"**

**Gaara was feeling uneasy. This man was powerful, he could tell. Gaara couldn't sense chakra or anything like the big shinobi could, but he could tell that the man standing next to him was strong. He also seemed unstable.**

"**You have a new clan?" Gaara said, repeating the words of the man.**

**The Uchiha sighed heavily.**

"**Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. I am in the process of building my new clan."**

"**What's it called?"**

**The Uchiha smiled again, "You will come to know it well, in due time. In fact I believe in the future you will become an important part of this new clan."**

**The Uchiha then turned his head towards Gaara, his eyes closed.**

"**A long time ago I made a promise to someone." he then slowly started opening his eyes, "Now I intend to follow through on my word!"**

**As he said the last part, he snapped his eyes the rest of the way open.**

**Gaara stared deep into the others eyes, visibly shaking in terror.**

"_**Those eyes! They're from my nightmares!"**_

*** * * * ***

**Twenty miles west of Sunagakure, a man stood with a large sack across his shoulders. The man's black cloak was billowing in the wind, the red clouds on it seemingly moving across the fabric.**

**Dropping the sack, the man scanned the area with his black & green eyes.**

**He picked up a shovel & started digging.**

**After a half hour of labour, he was satisfied.**

**Climbing out of the hole, he kicked the sack into the pit and began filling it back up.**

**From inside the bag came a whisper, so soft it didn't pass through the fabric.**

"…**Gaara…"**


	3. Another voice

**Here's chapter 3! I normally have a bad habit of over-simplifying, so it's murder trying to make this story last as long as possible. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: if i owned Naruto, d'you think i'd make him dress loke a lollipop man?**

* * *

**Another voice**

Gaara stood against the railing of the hallway, holding the bars and staring out to the sky.

He heard the door open behind him, but continued to watch the stars.

"Hey, there you are!" said Temari, "I was getting worried."

Gaara turned his head back to look at his sister.

"Oh, I'm sorry." he said, before turning back to the sky.

Temari leaned against the railing next to him, staring along with him.

"So what took you so long?" she asked.

"I took the long way back." he replied.

Temari looked up & down the hallway, "Where's uncle Yashamaru?" she asked.

Before Gaara could answer, old man Ebizo appeared at the door.

"He's not with you?" he said looking concerned.

Gaara turned to look at the old man. In truth, Gaara was always a little frightened of the old man. His black eyes and stern attitude made Gaara nervous. But right now Gaara saw him differently.

"I can see your loneliness." he said.

Ebizo stared hard at Gaara, who didn't flinch, as he usually did.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, looking deep into Gaara's eyes.

Gaara took a couple of steps closer to Ebizo.

"Your eyes." he said, "I can see great sadness in them, the pain of loss. Ebizo-san, did you lose someone close to you?"

Ebizo straightened his back in an attempt to appear strong, but the crack in his voice betrayed him.

"Now- hrm- see here, child, what is my business shall remain. Do you understand?"

Gaara blinked, then dropped his gaze.

"I'm sorry Ebizo-san." he said.

Ebizo's stance softened. He crouched down & put his hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"Gaara-kun, you are a very special child. Don't forget that. In fact, I believe your future will affect us-"

The old man stopped abruptly & grabbed Gaara's chin, pulling the little ones face to his own. Ebizo frowned.

"Wh-what is it, Ebizo-san?" Gaara asked, feeling afraid.

Ebizo didn't answer immediately, he just stared long & hard, as if trying to find something. Then he shook his head and stood. Gaara rubbed his chin where Ebizo had gripped it.

"Lets get you out inside, it's a cold night." Ebizo said, turning and walking back into the apartment.

Gaara looked back at Temari who had a concerned look on her face. Gaara tried to smile reassuringly, but he wasn't sure if he did it right. Temari smiled back at him & put her arm on his shoulder and they both entered their home together.

They both walked into the kitchen to find Ebizo & Kankuro sitting at the table, Ebizo had a steaming mug & Kankuro was eating a bowl of ice cream covered in just about every topping he could find. Gaara stared at his brother.

"Kankuwo, why are you wearing make-up?" he asked.

"It's not make-up, it's face paint!" Kankuro replied indignantly.

Temari bent over & whispered in Gaara's ear, "I asked the exact same question."

Later the four of them were sitting in the living room, Gaara, Temari & Kankuro occupying the sofa & Ebizo was sitting in the armchair, his hands resting on the sides. He was talking with Temari about her studies, with the two brothers listening in interest. In Temari's hand was a small piece of paper, cut clean down the middle.

"Fūton jutsu?" she said, repeating what Ebizo had told her.

The old man nodded sagely. "Yes, and you should be pleased. A true Suna shinobi or kunoichi is a master of wind release jutsu. I expect you shall become a very powerful kunoichi, Temari-chan. Perhaps you will even become more powerful than "that slug girl" Ebizo chuckled at his own joke. "But you should be aware of the disadvantages that come along with Fūton jutsu. Katon jutsu will grow more powerful if it comes into contact with Fūton jutsu. Shinobi of Konohagakure are usually adept at Katon jutsu. Especially those of the Uchiha clan."

Gaara's eyes shot up to Ebizo's face as he said that last sentence.

"Being a shinobi is so cool!" Kankuro said, "I can't wait to become one!"

Ebizo smiled at Kankuro's words.

"Ah, and what kind of shinobi would you like you be?" he asked, "A weapons expert? Or maybe chakra absorption? Heavens knows you consume enough as it is!"

Kankuro shook his head and jumped to his feet, grinning.

"Uh-uh, I'm gonna be just like my idol!" he said, striking a pose with his arms in front of him and fingers stretched out, "I wanna be just like the master puppeteer, Akasuna no Sasori - ow!"

Kankuro rubbed the back of his head where Temari had struck it.

"Idiot!" she said through clenched teeth.

Ebizo sat still. He didn't blink or even seem to breath. He just looked sad.

"It's late, time for you two to go to bed. Gaara, your uncle told me about your situation, you may stay up if you like."

Gaara nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off of the old man. Kankuro started to complain about having to go to bed when Gaara didn't, but Temari told him to shut up & pulled him into their room.

When their door shut, the old man turned to Gaara.

"So, apparently you don't sleep. I can't deny that I'm curious. Do you know what it is that keeps you from sleep?" he asked.

Gaara looked at the ground for a few seconds before looking back up at Ebizo.

"Well," he said, " I can't really explain it, I only found out this afternoon what sleep was. I never really felt the need for sleep. Or maybe I do, but I just don't recognise it? Sometimes, I would try to sleep, but I didn't like it, it was too unfamiliar."

"Unfamiliar?"

"M-hm. The sky was creepy and the way the colours were messed up was scary too."

"You mean you had a nightmare where the colours were mismatched?" Ebizo asked, "Nightmares happen sometimes, they're no reason to avoid sleep."

"Sometimes? Isn't it the same every time? I've never seen it change."

Ebizo frowned at this, leaning forward, he said "Gaara, your having the same dream every time?" Gaara nodded, "I see. Gaara, with your permission, I would like to place you under a hypnosis. It will make you fall asleep but you will be telling me what you see, maybe if I knew what was causing it, then I can help to stop it."

Gaara listened to the old mans words. He didn't want to go back to that place but if it meant they would stop happening, then he was willing to try.

"Ok Ebizo-san." he said.

Ebizo nodded and stood. He moved Gaara so that he was lying down on the sofa. He then performed a hand seal.

"Maboroshi no jutsu!" he said & placed his fingertip on Gaara's forehead.

Straight away, Gaara's eyes drooped & closed.

Ebizo returned to his seat and sat back, fingertips placed on his chin.

"Alright Gaara, tell me what you see." he said.

Gaara groaned & twitched, before settling.

"I… see red. Everything's red. I can't move, but I can hear sounds, voices."

"What are they saying?"

"I don't know, I can't understand them. They're coming from everywhere. It's just- wait. Something's happening."

"What? What's happening?"

"There's a black line. It's getting closer. It's expanding. Who's that? There are people beyond the line. They're big. Huh? All the red's gone. Everything's black & white now. Actually, it looks more like white & black. The people are standing apart, they're in a circle. Something is happening in the middle. There's something strange. They're all speaking again, they're saying the same thing, but I can't understand it. Wait. Someone just came in the room! Oh no. Not him! Please don't make me- NO! PLEASE! STOP!"

Ebizo leapt to his feet, ran over to Gaara & released the jutsu.

Gaara's eyes snapped open.

"What's going on?!" Temari yelled, having burst through the door.

"It's alright, Temari, go back to bed." Ebizo said.

But Temari wasn't listening, she was looking at Gaara.

"I'm ok." he said with a reassuring smile.

Temari still seemed uncertain, but went back into her room.

Ebizo sighed & looked at Gaara.

"Gaara-kun, I'm going to have to do some research on this. I'll return tomorrow to see if your uncle has come back, ok?"

"Ok, Ebizo-san."

Old man Ebizo turned around & left. As soon as the front door shut, the bedroom door opened up again, Temari poking her head out.

"Is he gone?" she asked.

"Yeah. He says he's gonna come back tomorrow."

Temari shut the door behind her & sat down next to Gaara.

"What happened just now?" she asked, looking worried again.

"Ebizo-san was trying to help me with my sleep-thing. He left because he needed to look up some stuff."

Temari nodded slowly.

"Hey, Temari?"

"Yeah?"

"How come you're not in bed?"

Temari smiled at him.

"Come on, I'm not gonna leave you alone all night long!" she said.

"But don't you need to-"

She shook her head, "Sensei said that shinobi sometimes have to stay awake for days on end, so I guess I better try it!"

"Oh, ok."

They just sat there for a while, Gaara staring at the floor & Temari fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Temari?"

"Yeah?"

"What is love?"

"Huh?"

Temari sat up & looked at her brother.

"What is love?" she repeated, "I guess it's when you feel towards someone… I mean, well, I think it's when you feel so close to someone that you would do anything to keep them from harm. To protect them, you know?"

"To protect them? You mean like the way you did or me earlier?"

"Yeah!" Temari said, smiling, "you're my little brother & I love you."

She then reached over and pulled Gaara into a big hug.

About an hour passed when Gaara felt Temari's head droop onto his shoulder. Gaara smiled.

* * * * *

Gaara heard Kankuro come out of his room & yawn.

"What time is-… wow." he said, staring at his siblings. Gaara stared back. Kankuro sighed & started muttering something to himself before a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

He locked eyes with Gaara & beckoned him over. Gaara blinked & climbed off the couch, careful not to wake his sister.

Kankuro led Gaara into the bathroom.

"Wait here." he said before running back into the bedroom. When he came back he had a small package filled with little multi coloured objects.

"Water bawoons?" Gaara asked, to which Kankuro grinned broadly.

"Oh yeah, water balloons."

Something sparked within Gaara. He looked at the bag, then at his older brother, and grinned evilly.

Kankuro faltered at his brother's expression, he didn't know timid little Gaara could look so creepy. He smirked.

"Attaboy!" he said, approvingly.

They filled up a water balloon, tied it, & crept quietly into the living room, where Temari was sleeping peacefully. Kankuro glanced at his little brother. If ever there was a time for him to back down, it was now. But his eyes met Gaara's, and in those eyes was a look that even scared Kankuro a little. But he smirked again.

"Alright, let it rip." he said, handing the balloon to Gaara.

Gaara stared at the balloon in his hand, studied it for a second, and prepared to throw it straight at his sister. But he hesitated.

"_Uh-oh. He's not gonna make it."_ Kankuro thought.

But Gaara, wasn't changing his mind, he was changing the angle of his throw. Instead of a straight on hit, he tossed the balloon into the air.

"_Ah, strategy, nice."_

The balloon arced through the air, and landed straight through Temari, who disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"…Aw no." Kankuro said, his voice filled with dread.

"Hey little bro's."

Gaara & Kankuro spun round to find their sister standing in the bathroom with a full supply of water balloons.

Kankuro thought quickly & made a decision.

"LEG IT!" he yelled, sprinting for the door, only to find that Gaara had already left.

"_Traitor."_

* * * * *

Gaara wrenched open the door to the warehouse. He ran inside & hid in the labyrinth of crates.

"Gaa-raa. Gaaa-raaaa. Where are you little brother?" Temari taunted.

"_Who knew she could be so scary?"_ Gaara thought, retreating further into the shadows.

_Thsss._

Gaara spun round. The sound had come from behind him, but nothing was there.

_Thssssss._

This time Gaara noticed a small amount of sand billowing. Panicking, he clambered on top of the crates. He reached the top and was sure he saw a shadow flit around a corner below.

Gaara turned and saw an open window not far from him. He eyed the gap in the crates. No. There was no way he could make that jump.

_Thump._

Gaara didn't look back. He ran forward and steeled himself. He reached the end and jumped, shut his eyes & braced for the impact on the crate.

It never came.

Gingerly, he opened his eyes & and saw to his astonishment that he hadn't missed the crates. He overshot them.

He didn't stop to think about it. He vaulted through the window.

"_Uh-oh."_

He didn't think the drop would be so big.

"AAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!!!"

_Thud._

…

"…_I-I survived?"_

He looked at the ground beneath him. He hadn't expected the sand to be so soft.

"_Wow. I was lucky."_ he thought, when a balloon burst a couple of meters to his right.

He leapt to his feet & sprinted through the streets, bobbing and weaving through the crowds. He whipped his head back but couldn't see his assailant.

"_The jungle-gym in the park! She'll never find me there!" _he thought, as he turned a corner and skidded to a halt.

"Hey little brother." Temari said, tossing a balloon on the air and catching it.

Gaara tried to go back but the crowd was too thick. He turned back to face his sister but her body was eclipsed by the balloon sailing through the air.

Gaara's eyes snapped shut as he waited for impact.

It never came.

Gaara opened his eyes & gasped. In front of him stood a wall of sand, curling in the air.

"_Wha-what is thi-Gaaggh!" _he thought.

Temari was shocked still. The sand had risen off the ground and shielded Gaara from the balloon. The people in the streets had all ground to a halt & were watching the spectacle.

"_Impossible."_ she thought. _"Gaara couldn't have activated his chakra already, could he?"_

"GAAGGH!" Gaara screamed.

"_Gaara…" _Temari thought, still unable to move.

Gaara's screams quickly subsided as the sand enveloped him in a sphere.

Temari watched as the sand stilled.

Inside the sand Gaara was kneeling on the ground, gripping his head with his hands.

"_What's happening?" _he thought, _"What is this feeling?"_

From somewhere in the sand, a raspy voice spoke.

"_Kill." _

"What- who's there?" Gaara asked, trying to see through the darkness.

"_I want blood. I want her blood. GIVE ME HER BLOOD!"_

"No. I- I won't hurt her."

"_She tried to hurt you."_

"No, it was just a game-"

"_She chased you through a warehouse, she made you jump through the window & then when you were recovering from your fall she attacked you. Was that a game?"_

"…No."

"_She likes making you suffer."_

"No."

"_She does. She saw the terror in your eyes & she revelled in it."_

"But she-"

"_You think she loves you? Ha! She doesn't keep you close out of love, you simply amuse her!"_

"I- that's not true!"

"_It is & you know it. Think about it, do you think when she becomes a powerful shinobi she'll want a weakling like you to take up her time? She will grow bored & leave you."_

"… She'll leave me?"

"_Yes. Everyone will. You can't trust in anyone, they will only bring you pain. You must fight for yourself & love only yourself."_

"I must love only myself?"

"_Everyone else despises you. You've seen it, they way the villagers look at you. They hate you. They want to kill you. It was only Yashamaru who kept them from harming you, and that was only because he was afraid of what might happen. But tell me. Where is he now? He loved you, but where is he? He 's gone. He left you, and she will too."_

"But I don't want her to."

"_You can't stop her. She & everyone else will leave and you will have nothing to prove your existence."_

"My existence?"

"_How can you prove you are real? In this dark shell you don't exist. Nothing can break through this sand & so to the rest of the world you don't exist. All they will see is the sand. They will not see you."_

"How-how can I make them see me?"

"_That is simple. You must kill to prove your existence. Make the blood of others spill & you will prove your existence."_

"Is there no other way?"

"_No. The heroes of the past are soon forgotten. But fear lives forever. Tell me, what is the name of the Shodai Kazekage?"_

"I-I don't know."

"_What about the Nidaime? The Sandaime? Or how about your father, the Yonndaime?"_

"I don't know."

"_Of course you don't. They lie forgotten and they cease to exist. But you, you have a destiny that will have your name whispered through all eternity. You are a demon who loves only yourself & fights only for yourself. Who are you?"_

"I am Gaara. I am a demon who loves only myself and fights only for myself."

As Gaara said this he felt the sand beneath his feet rise and form on his forehead. He felt it settle in a strange way on the left side.

"_With this sand, I mark you. Now awaken, Subaku no Gaara!"_

Gaara heard the sand shift and saw rays of sunlight breaking through. He felt the sand as it formed a gourd on his back. When the change to his appearance was complete, so was the change to his mind.

"Gaara! Are you ok?" Temari asked, rushing over to him.

When she was in front of him she noticed that on his forehead, a red tattoo had appeared. It was the Kanji for love.

She raised her hand to it, but Gaara slapped it away.

"Don't you touch me." he growled, before disappearing in a whirl of sand.

* * * * *

In a building, hundreds of miles from Suna, Madara Uchiha opened his eyes.

"It appears it was successful. He has taken to the Ichibi's chakra fragment better than I expected." he said.

"Hm. To be honest I wasn't so sure. I based my research on the Kyuubi's chakra & I couldn't be certain that the same thing would happen in this case." said Kazuma.

"You have been paid, I take it?"

Kazuma nodded, "Reluctantly."

"Your services may be necessary in the future, but I warn you. If you mention anything of what transpired here then I will personally see to it that you suffer. I have a subordinate who could always use another test subject."

"I don't appreciate the threats, but I will heed your warning. I hope we will do business again."

With that, Kazuma left.

"_Things are going along nicely." _Madara thought, _"We will meet again soon, Gaara."_


	4. A pact with the sand

A pact with the sand

Gaara walked down the hallway, ignoring the guards & attendants as he passed them by. He reached his destination & pushed the door open without knocking.

"Ah, Gaara, you're here."

The Kazekage had long since giving upon trying to get Gaara to show respect. The only reason he hadn't punished Gaara was that he was so damn efficient, if uncontrollable.

In front of his desk stood Temari & Kankuro. Both of their eyes widened as Gaara entered the office.

"_So it would seem they don't know why we are here either."_ Gaara noted.

As soon as Gaara became a genin, he had moved out. Where he went, no-one knew but him. Because of this, he hadn't seen either of his siblings in a while & from what he could see, they had gone through some changes, although they were mostly the same.

Temari was still wearing her lilac outfit with the fishnets, but she now had her fan strapped to her back instead of using that troublesome summoning scroll. Kankuro also hadn't undergone any major physical transformation, other than a slight change to his make-up &, more notably, the bandaged package on his back.

"I see you've ditched that feeble hand-made puppet of yours." Gaara said, earning a glare from his brother.

"_Still overconfident, I see."_ Gaara thought.

"If we can get to why we are here." the Kazekage said, impatiently.

Gaara glowered at the Kazekage, but stood between his siblings.

"Good, now the reason I have called you here is that I need to discuss your teams. Or lack thereof. Temari, both your team mates have advanced to chunin level, while you failed the third stage."

Temari cringed as he said this.

"_Weakling." _Gaara thought.

"And Kankuro, one of your team mates has suffered an irreversible injury & the other is in the psych ward from mental trauma."

Kankuro nodded, he disliked his team mates anyway, they were too confident.

"Finally, your team mates are dead, Gaara."

"_They shouldn't have looked at me like that."_

"So I have decided that the three of you shall join together in a new team."

"Hai Kazekage-sama!" exclaimed Temari & Kankuro, although neither was able to hide the shocked expression from there faces. Gaara stared hard at the man in front of him.

"Why are you holding me back in a squad of these weaklings?" he demanded.

"Because powerful though you may be, you are not invincible & you cannot complete entire missions by yourself!" said the Kazekage, slamming his hands on his desk.

"Now, I have a mission for you. It's a C-rank, not too difficult, enough for each of you too become used to being in a squad together."

Gaara's eyes narrowed. A C-rank was a waste of his abilities.

"You are to escort a trade caravan from here to Amegakure. The path the caravan is heading on goes straight through bandit territory so you will need to be aware at all times. I will leave the rest of the details with Temari. Gaara you are the leader of this squad. Dismissed."

Gaara turned & left immediately, closing the door behind him.

"Kazekage-sama, why did you designate Gaara, squad leader?" he heard Kankuro ask.

"Because he is the only one who has any chance of maintaining this team. you two are much too hot-headed to be leader. Your confidence gets the better of you, Kankuro, & you leave yourself open for attack! Temari, whilst you have proven to be the most intelligent, you are not nearly as subtle as your younger brother, that is the reason you failed the chunin exams. Your opponent antagonised you & could easily predict your movements. Look, Kankuro, you are an excellent shinobi, your knowledge of poisons and stealth are unparalleled amongst the other genin, making you the third most powerful genin in our ranks. Temari, you are more powerful than some chunin, your superior intellect and mastery of Fūton jutsu makes you the second most powerful genin in our ranks. Both of you graduated the academy years earlier than you should have! But Gaara is the best genin we have ever had. He was so skilled as a ninja, possibly because the Shukaku passed his knowledge onto Gaara. He had no need to join the academy, instead we had him join our ranks immediately."

Gaara left at this. He didn't care enough to listen anymore. He walked down the hallway and disappeared in a whirl of sand, reappearing at his home.

It was an oasis situated in a forbidden part of the desert because of the mysterious disappearances that occurred there.

There were many rumours that this part of the desert was alive & would consume any living creature that got within its reach. But Gaara new different.

Hidden in the sands lived a species of creature unknown to the rest of the world. Gaara had encountered them almost as soon as he had entered their territory. Sand worms.

_Flashback_

They immediately attacked him, but Gaara didn't give them the chance to get close. The cork of his gourd popped off and his chakra-infused sand poured out and rushed the first of the creatures.

"Sabaku Kyū!" Gaara yelled, as the sand formed around the first and smallest worm, which was still bigger than Gaara, and crushed it.

However, to Gaara's surprise, when the sand fell there was no trace of the creature, only more sand. His surprise then changed to anger as from the sand, the worm reformed.

"_I see. These worms are like my sand clones. They can disperse and solidify at will." _he thought, as he started running around the worms, heading for the oasis.

As he ran, several worms, burst from the sand, heading straight for him. But his sand leapt up every time to protect him, the worms shattering on impact.

He reached the oasis and ran on the water, where the attacks stopped. When he reached the middle, he turned around and froze.

The worms were lunging at each other, each impact causing them to disperse into a mound of sand, which was steadily growing. The sand then began to form into a giant worm, the remaining ones crashing into its sides.

When the worm was complete, it stretched into the sky and let out a beastial roar, before dropping its gaze to look at Gaara.

"HROOM! YOUR ABILITIES! WERE DO THEY COME FROM?" the great worm demanded.

"My abilities awoke at a young age. I do not know the cause of them." Gaara replied, not at all fazed by the immense creature before him.

The other seemed to consider him for a moment. Gaara prepared himself for an attack but was shocked to see the grand worm bow before him.

"It is an honour to meet the host of the great Shukaku. My kind has forever worshipped him as our god."

"_The Shukaku?" _Gaara thought to himself, _"So that's what this is."_

"Please, Jinchūriki-sama, forgive me for attacking you. I was not aware of who you are!"

"That is fine. Tell me, what is your name?" Gaara asked.

"My lord, I am Kousou, high priest & ruler of the sandworms. We have awaited your arrival for many generations. And may I ask your name, Jinchūriki-sama?"

"I am Subaku no Gaara."

Kousou bowed again.

"Gaara-sama, please, make this place your home. I have spent my entire life guarding this place for your arrival."

Gaara was surprised at the grand worm. He surveyed the oasis.

The many fruit-bearing plants and the clean water gave the place a beautiful appearance. Plus the solitude was perfect for him.

"Very well, I accept your offer. But know that I will be travelling often. I will not be inhabiting this place at great lengths of time."

The grand worm nodded.

"Of course, Gaara-sama. Then, if I may, I would like to offer you the contract of the sandworms, so that, should you need us we may assist you?"

Gaara was taken aback. Only a moment a go this titan was attacking him & now it was offering its services! Of course, Gaara's expression was stoic as ever.

"I accept." he said.

Kousou nodded and a tendril of sand pushed out of his body, with a large scroll held within it. He placed it in Gaara's arms, who headed over to dry land so he could stretch the scroll out. When he did, he saw that there was one signature already on the scroll.

"Who is this?" Gaara asked. He didn't like the idea of someone else being able to summon these powerful creatures.

"That is the signature of the previous Jinchūriki of the great Shukaku. He was a sand priest who proved to weak for the great Shukaku's liking. So he tore him apart from within. I hope you prove more worthy."

Gaara disliked the idea of being torn apart from within. He resolved to finding a way to either control the Shukaku, or appease it.

"The signature is to be in blood?" he asked.

"Yes, that way we become linked directly to you."

"I see, then this is impossible."

Kousou's eyes narrowed.

"I do not understand, why is it impossible?" the worm asked.

Without blinking Gaara pulled out a kunai of sand & made to stab himself in the stomach. Immediately, the sand rushed to block the attack.

"How strange," Kousou said, "The great one offered no such protection to the priest. The great one clearly wishes you to live. In that case, if the great one wants to help you, you should sign with the sand."

Gaara nodded and did so. The sand formed on the scroll _Subaku no Gaara_, but instead of a handprint appearing, like its neighbour had, a tanuki paw was marked on the paper. Kousou seemed pleased.

"Now, as long as you bear the great one inside you, we will be able to assist you."

"Very well. Is that all?"

"Yes, Gaara-sama. I will leave you be for now. Farewell."

Kousou suddenly dispersed, the sand flowing back into the desert.

_End Flashback_

Now Gaara walked along the grassy land and looked at his hut. It wasn't really a home, in fact, Gaara didn't use it for much anything, it was mostly a storeroom for any food he bought that he couldn't obtain from the oasis. But there were other things inside too. He collected memorabilia from his missions and maintained them. Often it would be the most valuable possession to the person he kills. He thought of it as a last courtesy. From his missions he had obtained objects, such as a dagger bearing a clan crest, a jewel-encrusted pendant, a picture of a woman, all sorts of things.

In some cases, he would also take something _he _deemed valuable, such as the preserved eyes of a Hyuuga, and a peculiarly, shaped kunai said to once belong to the Yondaime Hokage.

He walked into the kitchen area and opened the pantry, picking out a fig and biting into it, before going to study the contract again.

He stretched it out onto the table and started from the beginning.

_To whoever has signed this contract, you are now bound in an unbreakable pact with the sandworms of the Wind Country. The sandworms are a religious species, worshipping the Ichibi no Shukaku as their god of sand, which they see as life._

_In deserts, or other areas with a large supply of sand, the sandworms are at their strongest. When solid, they can crush almost any object or mineral with there hundreds of powerful teeth & convert them into sand. This means that in battle the sandworms will almost definitely gain the advantage of home-turf after a time._

_The sandworms can control their own density, changing from soft sand to near indestructible rock._

_The sand worms are connected to each other through a mental link, as such they coordinate their attacks to great effect. They all share the same chakra affinities for both Fūton & Doton jutsu._

_The sandworms have two conditions bestowed upon the person who signs this contract:_

_1. The person who signs this contract is the Jinchūriki of the Ichibi no Shukaku._

_2. The corpses of their opponents & any of their dead comrades will be theirs to take back to the sacred city of the sandworms._

Gaara stopped reading. There really was no point in his constant re-checking of the contract, but he was unsure of whether he would ever summon the worms. There was no denying they were strong, Gaara still doubted he would have survived the battle if he had continued to fight them. It was that they were _too _strong.

"_How am I too prove my existence if I use these creatures? I would probably only use them against a very strong opponent or an army. But in using them, I would not be proving my existence, I would be proving theirs."_

Gaara left the hut and sat outside, meditating.

"_Would I be doing them a kindness in using them in battle? Their existence is even more in question than mine."_

"_We've been through this. You fight & love only yourself."_

Gaara's eyes snapped open. The sand had surrounded him, just like it had three years ago.

"By doing as you say, I have learnt the pain of loneliness. The sandworms have suffered this loneliness even longer than I have. They are like me."

"_They are nothing like you. They have each other. You have no-one. And to answer your other question, yes you should use them."_

"But how can I prove my existence like that? Wasn't it you who said that in this sphere I don't exist? That the world will only see the sand? How will that be different if all they see are the sandworms?"

"_Because to the rest of the world, neither of you exist. So in using the sandworms, word of them will spread wide. And they will also ask the question "Who controls these magnificent beasts?" in using them you will prove your existence even more so. But a word of warning! Use them too often and they will be spoken of less & proof of your existence will weaken. Use them only as a last resort."_

"I understand."

The sand fell around him and collected on his back. As soon as the gourd was complete, Gaara stood to his feet.

"Have a good talk?"

Gaara whipped his head around.

"_How did someone reach this place & how did I not sense them?" _he thought. But as soon as he saw who the person was, he understood.

"Madara-sensei." Gaara said, bowing on one knee.

"Greetings Gaara. It seems you have developed well since our last meeting." said Madara, approvingly, "It would also seem that you have made a pact with the sandworms, as I suspected you would."

"Madara-sensei, what brings you to this place?"

"The mission you are about to embark on. I have a task for you. Do you accept?"

"Of course, Madara-sensei."

"Good. I thought you would. The path of your mission takes you straight through Fire country. There is someone there I need you to escort to Amegakure."

"Who is it?"

"You will know when you see him."

Madara turned to leave, but Gaara called out.

"Wait, Madara-sensei! You said that one day I would join your new clan, when will that be?" he asked.

"That will not be for some time yet." Madara replied, without turning, "While you are very powerful, Gaara, you lack the experience of the world. Perhaps if you rise to the rank of chunin, you will prove yourself worthy."

"Very well sensei, then I shall become chunin and earn my place in your clan."

* * * * *

Temari & Kankuro were both waiting at the gates with the trade caravan, as Gaara appeared in his usual whirl of sand.

"Lets go." he said, walking without waiting for them to respond.

* * * * *

In Amegakure two figures, a man & a woman, stood by the window of a very tall building. Behind them stood a holographic image of a man in an orange mask.

"So they are on their way here?" the man asked in a stoic voice.

"Yes. I believe they will arrive in about a week & a half."

"I see. And why are you sending the other? I was under the impression he was not ready to join us."

The image of the man in the mask distorted slightly, as if in recognition of his annoyance.

"Of course he isn't ready, he is still just a child! He is only to deliver the other to you. But I believe that he must get an idea of what we hope to achieve. Meeting you two will give him the motivation to become powerful enough to join us."

The woman nodded.

"Very well." she said, "We will do as you say."

The man in the mask nodded before his image disappeared.

The man who had stood with her left the room without another word. She watched as he left and felt a pang of sadness.

"Yahiko." she whispered.


	5. Future comrades

Woo! Chapter 5! Didn't think i'd make it this far! Alright, Gaara got an assignment from Madara & this chapter marks the end of the intro phase. Now the disruption of meeting certain people.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Pein would be the main character. But the story would be like Death Note. I don't own that either. Pein is god.

* * *

**Future comrades**

It was late. The sand siblings had made a lot of ground in two days, they were now past the border between Wind & Fire country.

Gaara looked at the mules pulling the caravan. They were exhausted. Gaara stopped.

"That's enough." he said, "We'll rest for the night & continue in the morning."

The driver nodded & parked the caravan. He then untied the mules from the caravan & led them to a nearby watering hole. Gaara turned to Kankuro.

"Go watch over them." he ordered, to which Kankuro nodded and disappeared.

Temari was a little off from the caravan, building a fire. Gaara walked over to her & sat with his back against a tree, watching the small fire.

After a while, the fire was blazing & Temari brought out a large flask of soup from her satchel, poured it into a small pot and heated it over the fire.

Gaara accepted his share of soup wordlessly, draining it in several small gulps. When he finished, he place the bowl down beside them. He could feel Temari's eyes on him, but he didn't do anything about it. A few minutes later Kankuro returned & Gaara felt his sisters eyes leave him.

"Man I'm beat- thanks" he said, taking his bowl of soup from Temari, "So, Gaara, how's the demon?"

Ever since Kankuro found out about his brother possessing the Shukaku, he became very interested in Gaara and the demon, often asking about him as if he & the Shukaku were friends.

"He's hungry." Gaara answered, as he always did. The only reason he put up with Kankuro's habit was that his older brother was respectful & otherwise gave him no reason to kill him.

"Heh-heh, same old Shukaku." Kankuro grinned. When he finished his soup, he settled down & was soon asleep.

As soon as that happened, Gaara felt Temari's eyes fall on him again, he turned to her.

"What?" he asked, annoyed.

Temari looked embarrassed that she was caught staring & diverted her eyes towards the fire. But now Gaara was staring at her.

"I," she mumbled, "I was just thinking about how we used to be. We did everything together & loved each other. But now it's different. I could always tell what you were thinking, but not anymore." when Gaara didn't reply, she looked up at him.

"I miss looking out for you. I miss spending all my time playing with you. What changed? Why are you so determined to be alone?"

Again, Gaara didn't answer, so she turned back towards the flames.

"He wants your blood."

Temari froze, "What?" she asked.

"He wants me to kill you. I knew that if I stayed it could be dangerous. He is… very influential."

Temari was shaking. Why was he telling her this?

"So I made a decision. I left."

"Why?" she asked.

"To prove my existence I must kill. But in killing everyone I will cease to exist, as there will be no-one to confirm my existence."

"To prove your- but you don't need to kill anyone to prove that. You do exist, I can confirm that!"

Gaara shook his head, "Your existence is weak. You are satisfied with just becoming a strong kunoichi, but in doing so, you sacrifice your own existence."

"But why do you have to kill?"

"Because the Shukaku demands it. In killing, not only do I prove my existence, but I also appease him. However, when he commanded me to kill you I had to make a decision. I realised that any choice I made would inevitably result in me being alone so I decided to leave."

Temari stared at Gaara, "So, you left to… protect me?"

"You are too weak for me to prove my existence by killing you. The Shukaku wanted me to do it so that I would be broken & easier to control. I love only myself." Gaara got up to his feet. "Go to sleep. We will rise early."

With that he left, fully aware that Temari was still watching him. He glanced back & saw tears pouring down her eyes.

* * * * *

Another two days had passed without much talk. Gaara was silent, as usual & Kankuro could sense that Temari didn't want to talk, so he settled with conversing with the caravan driver.

"So what sorts of places have you visited? It's not often that I leave Wind country."

The driver smiled nostalgically, "Oh I've been to many places over the years. I've visited most of the hidden shinobi villages. In fact, the only ones I haven't been to are Iwagakure & Kumogakure. These mules are strong, but they're afraid of heights & refuse to walk along their cliffy roads."

"What is it?" Temari asked. Kankuro and the driver stopped too when they realized Gaara wasn't walking.

"I'm going ahead." he said.

"What, why?!" Kankuro demanded.

Gaara didn't answer, instead he disappeared in whirl of sand.

He reappeared a couple of miles ahead of his siblings. Off to the horizon, he could see a lone figure walking towards him. Gaara walked up to meet the other person, who he knew probably wasn't expecting him, so he should be careful if he didn't want to get in a fight. He would not anger Madara-sensei by killing this person.

When they were closer together, Gaara could see that the other person was a teenager who appeared to be about thirteen years old. He had long black hair, which seemed to be tied back. He was wearing the uniform of an elite shinobi, with a white animal mask hanging by his side. His face was marked by two long lines which appeared to be stress creases, not befitting on someone so young. But the two details that made Gaara certain that this was the man he was looking for was the scored Konoha headband, and the red eyes.

When they were twenty-five yards apart, they stopped. The other man, clearly an Uchiha, was staring at the child in front of him.

"_He isn't making the mistake of underestimating me." _

"You're coming with me." Gaara stated.

The Uchiha's eyes narrowed.

"And why is that?" he asked.

"My sensei demands it. Now come."

The Uchiha didn't move.

"I don't think so." he said, defiantly.

The cork of Gaara's gourd popped off, sand pouring from the hole.

"You will come if I have to break your limbs to do so. My sensei would be… disappointed, if I fail to take you."

The sand rushed towards the Uchiha, who didn't make a move to dodge it. The sand enveloped his legs.

"Sabaku Kyū!" Gaara called and the sand obeyed, caving in on the Uchiha's legs. But instead of crushing his legs, the Uchiha vanished in a puff of smoke.

From behind him, three shuriken were thrown, aimed at vital spots. Gaara didn't move a muscle as the sand shielded him from the attack. The Uchiha then ran around Gaara, throwing kunai with explosive tags attached. Each of them failed their job as the sand enveloped each one, quelling the explosions. The Uchiha then stood before Gaara.

"Your defence is impressive. You managed to block attacks that you couldn't even see." he said.

Gaara maintained his stoic expression.

"Are you ready to come now?" he asked, growing bored with the fight.

"No. I will not come with you. Prepare yourself." the Uchiha said, but Gaara didn't react.

"Tsukuyomi."

The world changed. Now the sky was filled with the light of a blood-red moon. Everything was white & black.

"_This is just like my nightmares. What does this mean?"_ Gaara thought to himself. Not at all concerned that he was chained to a wall or that he was surrounded by hundreds of the Uchiha.

"Your mistake was making eye contact. Now you are trapped in my world, were I control time & space. A second in the real world is equivalent to three days here. Now you will-" the Uchiha was interrupted by Gaara's manic laughing.

"What is so funny?" the Uchiha asked, annoyed that he was interrupted.

"Heh heh heh. I know all about the Tsukuyomi. It traps the victim in their own mind, you also enter their mind so that you can torture them repeatedly, in what their consciousness interprets as a large amount of time passing, when, in fact, a very short amount of time has passed.

_Your _mistake was entering _my _mind. For in my mind, I am not alone."

As he said this, a giant shadow fell over the Uchiha, who spun around, only to be blasted back in a wave of sand onto the wall previously occupied by Gaara. The sand formed around the Uchiha's wrists & ankles, effectively trapping him on the wall. Gaara, who was released by the sand, stepped in front of the Uchiha, grinning maniacally.

The scene around them changed. instead of a large, empty space, houses were appearing & bodies grew from the ground, bloody & certainly dead.

"What is this?" the Uchiha demanded, struggling.

"I found out long ago that the Shukaku is… invasive." Gaara answered.

The Uchiha paled, "The Shukaku?"

Gaara's grin widened, "Yes. Now _he _has trapped _you_ in _your_ mind. You'll find yourself unable to stop the technique. The Shukaku is using his chakra to seal you in."

The Uchiha was gaping. His expression changed to desperation as someone appeared before him. A young boy who looked very similar to the Uchiha.

"Why Itachi? Why did you do it?" the young boy asked tears pouring down his eyes.

"No… Sasuke…" Itachi faced Gaara. "Stop this, I beg you. Don't make me go through this again."

Gaara ignored him.

From the distance, a figure appeared.

"Who is that? There was no-one there before." Itachi thought aloud, making Gaara chuckle.

"As I said, the Shukaku is _very_ invasive. He knows exactly what to do to make you suffer, Uchiha Itachi."

The figure in the distance was an old man with bandages wrapped around his head & right eye. He also had a X shaped scar on his chin. He was clearly walking towards them, protruding a curved dagger from the folds of his robes, his eyes fixed on Sasuke.

"No… please- don't make me watch this."

"Will you come with me?"

"Yes!"

The world fell around them, returning to the way things were. Itachi collapsed on the ground from the technique. Gaara summoned his sand to envelope Itachi, leaving only his face visible. He then levitated the sand into the air & walked in the direction of Amegakure.

* * * * *

Three days passed before Itachi woke. They were walking along a shore, well, Gaara was walking.

"So your awake." Gaara noted.

"Where are we going?" Itachi asked, unable to turn his head due to the sand.

"We are going to Amegakure. My sensei requested that I deliver you to his subordinates there."

"And who is your sensei?"

Gaara glanced at Itachi.

"He is the last true Uchiha."

Itachi's eyes widened in shock.

"Madara." he growled, before speaking clearly, "There is no longer any need for you to restrain me. This is all a misunderstanding. I had not expected him to find me so quickly."

Gaara stopped & stared hard at Itachi.

"You know Madara-sensei?" he asked.

"Yes, I want to join his organization." Itachi replied.

Gaara thought it over. It was possible that Itachi was lying to him, intending to attack when he was released. But Gaara thought about what he saw in the Tsukuyomi. This Uchiha was broken. Gaara released him.

"You seek the same thing I do." Gaara told him.

"Is that so?" Itachi asked, getting to his feet.

Gaara nodded, "We may one day be comrades." he said.

"Maybe."

They set off. Itachi kept eying Gaara, probably thinking about his defeat by a genin.

"So you possess the Shukaku?" Itachi asked.

"Yes, & you possess the Mangekyo." Gaara countered.

"It seems that both of us have a lot of blood on our hands."

"Yes."

Itachi looked at Gaara.

"So what is it like?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Gaara was silent for a while before answering.

"The Shukaku has shown me the truth. He is an out of control demon, but he understands what life is really about."

"What is that?"

"My one goal in life is to prove my existence. I do so by killing others. Their blood appeases the Shukaku & makes me feel alive. Tell me, why did you kill your clan?"

"I killed them to test my power, or, as you put it, "to prove my existence."

"I see… so what you mean to say is that you were under orders to kill your clan."

Itachi looked shocked, "How could you know that?" he demanded.

"I love only myself & fight only for myself. Because of this I understand loneliness. Loneliness is this worlds worst kind of pain. It is that pain that I see in your eyes. And I also see regret. It is clear that you didn't want to kill your clan."

Gaara could tell that Itachi wasn't pleased by the fact that a genin could read him so easily. But he didn't react angrily, he seemed relieved.

"If you have already figured this much out then I can at least take comfort in the fact that there is someone I can be honest with. Comrades? I hope so." he said with a small smile.

Gaara looked at Itachi. What he hadn't told him is that he also saw determination in his eyes.

"_Why?" _Gaara thought, _"You regret killing your clan, but you were under orders. Why would you obey these orders & then abandon your village? Unless… I see. You are still under your village's orders, aren't you?"_

Gaara resolved to keep this matter to himself until he had more evidence, but he would definitely need to keep an eye on Itachi.

"Back there, in the Tsukuyomi, who was that boy?" Gaara asked.

Itachi's eyes dropped to the ground.

"That was my younger brother, Sasuke." he replied.

"You let him live." Not a question, a statement.

"Yes."

"Alright. I won't ask you why you did that. It doesn't concern me."

"It's alright-"

"What I mean is that I am not concerned by your actions. I don't care."

"… I see."

The rest of the journey passed in silence. They reached Amegakure on time. True to it's name, it was raining heavily.

"Where to now?" Itachi asked.

Gaara realized that Madara-sensei had never told him where to go once he got there. He looked around for a sign and found someone coming towards him, slightly obscured from the rain. As the man, judging by his size, came closer, Gaara managed to make out some details.

The man was very large, sporting a black cloak with red clouds. He had tall dark blue hair & a scored Kiri headband, but what was most interesting was his blue face with markings on it, giving him a shark-like appearance, though Gaara seriously doubted he was part shark.

"Uchiha Itachi?" the man asked.

"Hn." Itachi replied, regaining his stoic stance.

"Hoshigaki Kisame. I am to escort you to leader-sama."

Gaara turned to leave when Kisame put his hand on his shoulder.

"Wait. Leader-sama wishes to see you as well." said Kisame.

Gaara turned back but didn't reply. He & Itachi followed Kisame to the entrance of one of the taller buildings. The inside was well furnished. The building clearly was important to the owner.

They walked forward to the staircase & Kisame looked up in displeasure.

"Alright, this is gonna take a while." Kisame said.

"Why don't we use a Shunshin to get up their faster?" Itachi asked.

"Simple. Leader-sama has forbidden all Shunshin no jutsu. He only alerts his high ranking subordinates of this. Anyone who doesn't know this shouldn't be up there so they will be treated as enemy shinobi if they do."

Gaara decided he didn't want to "take a while" so he used his sand to pick the three of them up & they floated up the stairs.

"Heh. That's pretty handy." Kisame said, "Sand Express."

In a third of the time it would have taken them, they had reached the top floor. Gaara gathered the sand back into his gourd as Kisame knocked on a door.

"Come in." came a female voice.

Kisame opened the door & entered. Gaara & Itachi waited in the hall.

After a moment, Kisame returned.

"You may enter, but word of warning- don't hit on her." he said, before jumping out of an open window.

Gaara watched as Kisame disappeared. He could tell that Kisame was a cold blooded killer. He wondered if they were common in this "organization". Turning away from the window, he & Itachi entered the room.

Gaara's eyes immediately fixed on the woman in front of him.

"Greetings Itachi-san, Gaara-san." she said, "I am the angel of Akatsuki, Konan."


	6. She really is

Wow. Longest chapter yet. BTW, i know nothing about romance, i am completely clueless about what i'm doing here... ah well, if i screw up, i'll just wallow in self pity for a couple of days.

Disclaimer: Now that i think about it, if i owned naruto, it would probably suck. Woo self esteem!

* * *

She really is

Gaara stared at the woman in front of him. Her blue hair shone in the pale light from outside, the paper flower adding an air of elegance. She glided across the floor towards them, like the angel she claimed to be. She too wore the black cloak with red clouds like Kisame. Although on her it revealed grace. The piercing below her lip was very tasteful. But it was none of these that caught Gaara's attention. It was her brilliant eyes.

"_Those eyes…" _he thought _"She is the same as me."_

Konan bowed.

"I am sorry." she said, angelically, "But leader-sama does not wish for his identity to be known yet, so I shall be the one to give you the introduction of the Akatsuki."

"That is fine."

Gaara snapped his head to his left. He had forgotten that Itachi was here.

"_What is going on?"_ Gaara thought, turning to Konan, _"Why are you confusing my mind?"_

"Why does Madara-sensei wish to hide?" Gaara asked, very aware of his dry throat.

Konan looked shocked.

"If they both know of Madara, then there is no sense in holding up false pretences." came a voice from the shadows.

Konan whipped her head around as a man appeared behind her. He had dark, orange, spiky hair & grey skin, like a corpse. He was also wearing a cloak, like Konan's, but his wasn't quite so…

He also had piercings on his face, but a lot more than Konan did. He had six piercing on his nose, or three straight through it. Two spikes through his lower lip, six piercing around each ear & a vertical bar through both. He was also wearing a slashed Ame headband.

"Those eyes…" Itachi whispered. Gaara understood.

His eyes were different. Around the pupil were circles, like ripples in a pond. The only colour in the eyes was grey, a darker shade than his skin. It was obviously a dōjutsu style kekkei genkai.

"The rest of the Akatsuki believe me to be the leader." the man said, "Apart from one other, the only people who know of Madara are in this room, so while in the presence of other Akatsuki members you will address me as "Leader". Understood?"

Itachi nodded. Gaara just glared at the man.

"Otherwise, you may call me "Pein" or "God". However that shouldn't be necessary as I doubt there will be many occasions were we will be apart from the others."

Pein turned to Gaara.

"I am to understand that you are his apprentice?" he asked, Gaara nodded.

"Very well. Konan, take him into the other room & fill him in."

"Yes Pein." Konan said, bowing slightly, before leading Gaara into a side room.

Closing the door behind her, Konan gestured towards the table in the middle of the room. Gaara removed his gourd & took a seat. Konan sat opposite him.

Gaara found himself unable to take his eyes off hers.

"_What is this feeling?"_ he thought, _"Why can't I divert my attention from you?"_

"If Madara has taken you as his apprentice then clearly, he has high hopes for you. Tell me about yourself."

Gaara leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. He closed his right eye and placed two fingers on it, like he often did in these situations.

"My name is Gaara. I was born in Sunagakure of the Yondaime Kazekage & his wife. Both of them died the day I was born. When I was four years old, the demon Shukaku awakened inside of me & gave me his knowledge & power over the sand. I then started killing people. The council was aware of this. When I killed a chunin, they sent a messenger who delivered to me the standard equipment of a Suna shinobi & told me I was to approach the council. So I killed him & met with the council. They made me into a genin, hoping I would become their strongest weapon. By then, they realized I had… emotional problems. They could not control me. They instead sent me on missions were it didn't matter who I killed. Then, after receiving a mission to escort a caravan here, Madara-sensei approached me & told me to bring Itachi-san to you."

Konan was silent until he had finished talking. When he had she spoke up.

"Your information is wrong. You do not possess the Shukaku, we do."

Gaara stared at her, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I should start by telling you that we, the Akatsuki, are an organization that seeks to control the nine tailed beasts. Seven years ago, Madara-san brought forward a tea kettle containing the Ichibi no Shukaku. Whatever power you have is probably through his doing."

"I see." Gaara said, resolving to ask his sensei about this matter later.

Konan then went on to explain more about the Akatsuki. She told him about there intentions to make a monopoly on war & to get rid of all the hidden villages. Gaara sat there with his arms crossed.

"_You are an interesting person." _he thought.

"Do you have any questions?" asked Konan.

Gaara nodded slowly, & pointed to the paper flower in her hair.

"You like origami?" he asked.

Konan was taken aback. She hadn't expected such a personal question.

"I… yes, I do." she said, smiling lightly.

Gaara cupped his hands together, and the cork popped out of the gourd as sand flowed out of it. The sand gathered in the air around Gaara's hands and spiralled inwards. The sand started forming a bud, which bloomed into a rose identical to the one in Konan's hair.

It floated through the air slowly, landing softly into Konan's open hands.

She was gaping slightly as she stared at the rose. It looked so delicate. Yet as she brushed her finger across it, it didn't break. It felt as soft as it looked, almost like a real rose.

She placed it carefully back on the table.

"It's very pretty." she said, smiling again.

Gaara leaned forward.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked.

Konan nodded, leaning forward too.

"Your smile is prettier."

Konan sat back, blushing lightly. She looked like she was about to say something when the door opened.

Pein was standing in the door way. Konan looked back at the table, but the rose was gone & Gaara was securing the cork back on his gourd.

"Are you done?" Pein asked.

Gaara noticed that Konan had stopped smiling & was now expressionless again.

"Yes Pein. We are done here." she replied.

She got up and left the room, with Gaara following her, his gourd now back on his back.

Konan stood by Pein's side and Gaara returned to standing next to Itachi, who was now wearing the Akatsuki cloak.

"Alright." said Pein, "Itachi-san, meet Kisame-san at the entrance. He will lead you to the current base."

"Hai, leader-sama." Itachi replied, leaving.

"Itachi." Gaara called out.

Itachi glanced back at Gaara.

"How old is Sasuke?"

Itachi frowned, "He's seven."

"He is taking the path of the shinobi, right?"

"Yes… why do you ask?"

"Your eyes reveal more than power. I intend to take the chunin exams in a few years time, maybe I will see him there?"

"_I know what you are. If you betray my masters clan, your brother will die." _Gaara thought.

Itachi seemed to realize this as his eyes narrowed.

"Make sure you say hello to him for me." he replied.

"_There is no need for threats." _was what Gaara gathered, as Itachi left.

When he was gone, Pein turned to Konan.

"I want you to spend the rest of the day with Gaara-san. Madara informed me that he will be arriving here tomorrow and wishes to speak to all three of us. In the meantime, you are to assess Gaara's skills both as a shinobi and a person in general, understood?"

"Yes." Konan replied.

Pein left through the door. Konan turned back to Gaara.

"Alright, lets get the assessment of your skills as a shinobi over with. First, tell me about how you convinced Itachi-san to come with you."

"I told him to come with me, but he refused. So I subdued him."

Konan looked shocked.

"Itachi was to be one of our strongest members, but you defeated him?!"

"One of your strongest? He was a weakling with a large weapon. Nothing he threw at me had any effect & then he used his eyes to invade my mind. It was there that I defeated him. He wasn't even worth killing."

Konan still looked shocked. It took her a few seconds to recover.

"Ok, I guess that proves that your strong. How would you classify yourself?"

"Genin rank. No taijutsu, moderate genjutsu, strong ninjutsu. I'm a mid-range fighter. I use the sand as my weapon. The sand will protect me from any damage, I cannot control this. As long as I have sand, I can do anything."

Konan thought about his words for a moment.

"I see…" she said, "One more question. Would you say your passive, or aggressive?"

Gaara thought it over.

"I will avoid conflict unless I feel the need to prove my existence. In which case someone will die."

"Great, another Kakuzu." Konan muttered, before saying aloud "Alright, that's all I need to know for now. Pein told me to assess your skills as a person, so… what do you want to do?"

Gaara blinked.

"When I'm not on a mission, I would be training or killing." he said, "But this environment makes this impossible. I guess I'll just follow you."

It was Konan's turn to blink.

"You'll follow me? I mean, it's been a while since I've had time to do what I want, are you sure?"

Gaara nodded.

"Well… ok!" she said brightly, "Lets go!"

* * * * *

They reached the ground floor of the building & were standing in the doorway. Konan sighed.

"Well, here we go." she said & stepped out into the rain.

It never came.

She looked up, surprised to see a dome of sand above her head. She looked back at Gaara, who was looking straight back. She smiled in thanks and kept walking.

They walked through the streets, the rain falling around them. Gaara looked at the buildings.

"This village is…" Gaara began.

"Ugly? Hideous? It's ok, you can say it. The architects that built this place clearly had no idea what they were doing."

Gaara didn't reply to this.

"So tell me Gaara, what's it like in Sunagakure? I've never been there before." Konan asked.

"It's everything this village is not. It almost never rains and all the buildings are small and open. The place pretty much looks like a bunch of sand castles."

"I see. Do you have any friends there, or family?"

"I have no friends. I love only myself." Gaara wondered why he felt strange saying that.

"But you have family?"

Gaara nodded, "My elder siblings, Temari & Kankuro, are on their way here on a mission to escort a caravan."

"Right! I heard there was one coming! So your siblings are coming?"

"Yes. If Madara-sensei hadn't given me orders to bring Itachi-san here then I would still be with them."

"Who's the leader of your squad?"

"I am."

Konan sighed, "I guess I should have figured. To be honest, I'm getting a little bored with you surprising me." she said with a small smile.

"I'm sorry." Gaara said.

Konan's eyes widened, "Oh no, I don't mean it like that! I just mean you keep surpassing my expectations!"

They walked along quietly for a while. The rain was getting lighter & people were coming out with umbrellas. Gaara noticed that they looked at Konan with either respect, awe or hatred.

"Why do they look at you like that you like that?" Gaara asked.

Konan's face became hard.

"Pein is leading a rebellion against the leader of this village. He has half the village under his control, but Sanshōuo no Hanzō owns the rest. While many of the civilians support Pein, many do not."

"I see." Gaara muttered, creating a small opening in the dome of sand so some of the rain hit the back of her neck.

"Aah!" Konan gasped whipping her head towards Gaara.

"Don't act emotionless." he ordered.

Konan laughed lightly, and the rain suddenly stopped. Gaara & Konan both looked up at this.

"Your laughter surprised the sky." Gaara stated, earning another small giggle.

"It's funny how you can say such things with such a stoic attitude." Konan said, smiling.

The sun shone faintly through the clouds, causing small rainbows to appear all over the place. By now they had reached the outskirts of Amegakure & were walking along a coastal path. They found a bench &, after Gaara coated it with sand to get rid of the water, they sat on it, looking out to the sea.

"One thing Suna doesn't have, is views like these." Gaara said, leaning forward.

"No?"

He shook his head, "If you see anything like this in the desert, then you are severely dehydrated & are probably going to die."

Konan laughed again and looked down at the ground. She gasped.

"What is it, a scorpion?" Gaara exclaimed, getting to his feet.

It wasn't a scorpion.

"I don't have this one!" Konan exclaimed, gently picking a small, blue flower out of the ground.

Gaara looked at her.

"I… press flowers. It's sorta a hobby." she mumbled apologetically.

Gaara stared for a second longer before returning to his seat.

Konan carefully turned the small flower in her fingers, stroking the petals. Gaara watched as she did this.

They sat there for another hour before it became dark. Neither of them had much to say. Konan didn't know what to say & Gaara was content with watching her, many thoughts flying through his mind.

"We should head back." Konan said, "We have a room for you back there, you must be tired."

Gaara shook his head.

"I don't sleep." he stated.

"What never?" Konan asked.

"I never have. I used to think it was because of the Shukaku, but apparently he isn't inside of me."

"Right…"

The rain began again so Gaara formed the dome over their heads. They walked back to the building in relative silence. When they had returned, Konan led Gaara to his room.

"Well… I guess I'll see you tomorrow." she said, "Bye."

Konan turned, gave a small wave, a small smile & walked away. Gaara waited until she was out of site before entering his room. As he reached the living room, he found he couldn't suppress it anymore. He sat down & allowed the sand to surround him.

"What do you want?" Gaara asked, with none of the kindness he had shown Konan.

"_What do you think you are doing boy?!"_ the voice demanded.

"I am speaking with a voice inside my head which apparently has been misleading me. Who are you?"

"_RAAGH! I am the great Shukaku! Don't forget that! Now what were you doing with that whore?!"_

"Don't you dare call her that." Gaara growled, "You who under your own pretences believe yourself to be a Bijū?"

"_I am a Bijū, boy!"_

"Apparently not. Now shut up & leave me be."

The sand fell around him. Gaara got up & looked out his window, cheek pressed against the glass. In the distance he could see the main gates & past them shone the light of a caravan. Gaara smirked to himself as he spied two figures shivering in the rain. He opened the window & leapt out.

In no time he had reached the gates, where guards were thoroughly inspecting the caravan. Gaara walked towards them. Neither of his siblings had seen him, they had their backs to him.

"So you're finally here." he said, rain running down his hair.

Temari and Kankuro spun round.

"Thanks for deserting us!" Kankuro yelled.

"Shut up Kankuro." Gaara said, glaring at his older brother.

"Why did you leave?" Temari asked.

Gaara looked at Temari. Her pigtails were drooping in the rain.

"I had some business to take care of. Check into a hotel, we leave tomorrow."

Temari looked like she was going to ask something, but decided against it.

"Ok. We'll be with you in a minute." she said, but Gaara shook his head.

"I'm still in the middle of my mission. I won't be staying with you."

Temari blinked.

"Mission, you got another mission? What is it?" she asked.

"It's none of your business." Gaara said, leaving.

* * * * *

_Knock, knock._

Gaara opened the door. An Ame kunoichi stood before him.

"Leader-sama requests your presence upstairs." She said, "He said "It's time"."

Gaara nodded and left the room, heading upstairs. When he reached the top floor, he didn't bother knocking as he entered.

Pein was holding on to the window, looking outside. Konan stood beside him, looking up at Gaara as he entered. In the corner, slightly obscured by the shadows, stood Madara.

"Madara-sensei." Gaara said, bowing on one knee. Madara gestured for him to stand.

"Gaara-kun, I'm glad you're here. Do you remember when we last met, that question you asked me?"

Gaara nodded.

"Well, I'm afraid you mustn't take the next chunin exams, we need you to wait."

Gaara didn't like the sound of that.

"Why?" he asked, barely concealing his anger. Pein answered.

"One of my subordinates, Orochimaru, has betrayed us. He attacked Itachi-san early this morning, attempting to take his body for his own. He failed, however, & was forced to flee. It would seem that he wishes to obtain the Sharingan. He failed to take Itachi so we believe he will go after his younger brother instead."

Madara took over.

"He won't go after him immediately. The boy is much too weak right now. It is most likely that Orochimaru will go after Sasuke when he enters the second stage of the chunin exams. That way he can make his move without anyone strong getting in his way. Basically, we want you to train for the point when Sasuke-kun takes part in the chunin exams. Then it will be your mission to make sure Orochimaru fails to take him. No matter what, understand?"

Gaara nodded, "No matter what."

Konan smiled approvingly, "If you succeed, then you will be gladly accepted among us."

Gaara's expression hardened, "Orochimaru_ will not _have the Sharingan."

Madara walked over to Gaara & put a hand on his shoulder.

"Not only will you be accepted among us, I will live up to my title as "Sensei" & will personally train you."

Not even Gaara's best efforts could hide the twinkle in his eyes as he heard these words.

"That is all. I will send word to you when Sasuke-kun signs up for the chunin exams." Madara said.

Gaara bowed, "Hai, Madara-sensei." he turned to leave.

"Gaara."

He turned to face Konan. She gestured with her head towards Madara, who was frowning at her.

"Ah, thank you Konan-hime." Gaara said, noticing her shy smile at the suffix, "Madara-sensei, there's something I would like to ask you."

Madara figured out what he was going to ask, "I take it you now know the Shukaku isn't really inside you." Gaara nodded, "Well, I suppose you should know, while you aren't the Jinchūriki for Shukaku, you still possess him inside you."

Pein stood up straight at this, Konan looked surprised & Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" they said in unison.

Madara grinned at the three of them, before becoming serious again.

"When you were born, your father, the Yondaime Kazekage, had arranged to seal the Ichibi no Shukaku inside of you. He intended to use your mother as a sacrifice for the process. However, before they could seal him, I intervened & took the Shukaku."

"I see…" Gaara said. So it was Madara who killed his parents. He wasn't surprised to find he didn't care.

"Some time after that, I encountered a man by the name of Kazuma, who had conducted research on Remnant Chakra. He learned that it was possible to take chakra that a Bijū leaves behind. Not only that, but the chakra could then be fused into someone, creating something that isn't a Jinchūriki, but at the same time isn't normal either, because the chakra wasn't sealed, it was bonded at a cellular level. He called it a Pseudo-Jinchūriki. His test subject had the chakra of the Kyuubi no Kitsune bonded to his right arm. But I had him do something different to you. He bonded some of the Shukaku's chakra, siphoned from the kettle he was stored in, and he bonded it with your brain. Not the whole thing, just the part that controls your _instincts._ This is why whenever you are attacked, the Remnant Chakra notices it & immediately protects you."

Pein stepped forward.

"Is this why we have not sealed the Ichibi yet? So you could conduct this _experiment_?" He demanded.

"Yes. And now look at him. He effortlessly defeated Itachi-kun, who was using the powers of his Mangekyo Sharingan!"

Gaara nodded, "However, that doesn't explain how the Shukaku has been able to communicate with me."

It was Madara's turn to nod.

"Yes, that was an unforeseen complication. You see, the chakra Kazuma used was what the Kyuubi left behind when he was sealed. The chakra we used on you, however, was drawn straight from the Shukaku. It would seem that because of this, he has managed to manifest a version of himself inside of you."

Pein was getting frustrated, "So is he the Jinchūriki or isn't he?!"

Madara shook his head, "Yes & no. The Ichibi is still inside his container. The entity within Gaara is simply a piece of chakra taken from him, that has adapted and evolved past expectations. What we have is a second Ichibi."

Everyone was surprised by this.

"Gaara, with your permission, I would like to bond more of the Ichibi's chakra to you. Your body has adapted to it so you should be able to take more."

Gaara thought it over. With more of the Ichibi's chakra, he could become more powerful. He could have even more control over the sand.

"I do not think that would be a good idea, Madara-sensei. As the Ichibi's chakra increases, so will it's influence."

"Ah, but this would be different. Instead of bonding the chakra to your brain, we would bond it to your body. That way you would not be influenced by the extra chakra."

Gaara thought further. He reached a decision.

"Ok." he said.

"Very well." Madara-sensei said, smiling to himself, "It takes quite some time to prepare for this procedure. You will not get the enhancement soon. We will try to get it done before you participate in the chunin exams. Until then train to increase your power."

Gaara bowed, "Hai Madara sensei."

He turned around & left.

"Madara-san." Pein said, "Does the boy really need to be more powerful? He was already strong enough to defeat Itachi-san."

Madara was still looking at the door Gaara left through.

"That was a luck of a miraculous scale. If I hadn't had the chakra bonded to him, if the chakra hadn't evolved, if Itachi-kun hadn't resorted to the Tsukuyomi, if any one of these hadn't happened, Gaara-kun would definitely have lost. I need him to become much stronger. I plan for him to become not just a member of Akatsuki, but one of _us_."

* * * * *

An hour had passed. Pein & Madara were gone. Konan was leaning against the window, looking into the streets. She was thinking about the boy that had managed to make her smile, laugh & blush, all in the same day, even though they had only just met. She couldn't keep her mind off of him. He just felt so…_ familiar_. So much of him had reminded her of her old life. She could tell that without the Shukaku fragment, he would have been as shy & gentle as Nagato used to be. But the beast had made him hard, like Pein. But there was something else. She could have sworn she had seen a spark of Yahiko inside of him.

"_One day." _she thought, _"One day you will change things. I would like to be there when you do."_

Her eyes widened in surprise.

* * * * *

Gaara walked through the streets. It was time to leave. He thought about what lay ahead of him.

"_Power, a place in my master's clan."_

He turned and looked up at the building. A faint speck of blue warmed his heart.

"_And you. The angel of Akatsuki."_

He turned and walked to the gates, where his siblings were waiting.

"_She really is."_


	7. The leaf's embrace

Alright. i'm setting myself a new limit of at least 3500 words per chapter. BTW i'm sure rock lee only being able to use taijutsu is a conspiracy or something. How did he pass the graduation exam without being able to create a clone?

Disclaimer: Nuff said.

* * *

The leaf's embrace

"All right. I'm ready." Gaara said.

Baki looked relieved.

"Finally!" he said, giving the sand squad their entry forms for the chunin exams.

"Yeah, we can finally stop being weak genins!" Kankuro said, glad at his little brother's decision.

"I finally get another chance!" Temari agreed, almost snapping her pencil in excitement.

Gaara signed his & left. He had preparations to take care of.

He stood in his hut, surveying his collection with satisfaction. He packed up some of his most valued artefacts & some of his most useful ones. He opened a glass case and pulled out a naginata he had taken from a Kumo jounin. She was beautifully made, the pole was crafted with an ice blue material, not metal, but still very strong. She had a golden insignia painted all around her, making her gleam in the light. The blade was large with a long & curved side, the other serrated. The white golden blade glistened. Gaara favoured this weapon above all his other prizes. She could strike fast and clean, or could tear the opponent apart, without getting too close.

Normally Gaara didn't use weapons, other than his sand, but he would be doing a great wrong by leaving her to die in a hut. So he sheathed the blade & strapped her to his back, facing the opposite angle to his gourd.

"_We shall see which is faster; me or my instincts." _he thought, allowing a small smirk.

He heard a familiar noise from outside, a slithering of the sand. He looked out the window. Sure enough, Umibe was outside.

Umibe was a young sandworm, around four years old. Despite those short years, he was a bit of a fanatic. That was why whenever a trespasser was killed, he would search for the most valuable belonging on the person & bring it to Gaara, as tribute. The other sandworms usually gave Gaara his space, but Umibe couldn't help it, he was like a loyal puppy. Over the years, the little guy had really grown on Gaara. Hanging from his mouth was a bracelet with a small charm hanging from it bearing the kanji for "luck". Gaara smiled at the irony.

"Gaara-sama!" Umibe exclaimed, "Look what I found for you!"

Gaara took the bracelet from his mouth and lifted it to the light. He then turned & made sure Umibe could see as he placed it in the cabinet he kept his most prized positions in. when he turned back, Umibe was visibly shaking with happiness.

"Umibe." Gaara said, kneeling in front of the young one.

"Yes, Gaara-sama?" Umibe asked. If sandworms had eyes, Gaara was sure Umibe's would be twinkling.

"Soon I will be heading off to participate in the chunin exams in Konohagakure. I have a mission there that, when I complete, will put me in a situation that may result in my never returning here."

Kousou rose from the sand, looking grief-stricken.

"Is this true, my lord? You will never return to us?" he asked.

Gaara stood, looking up at the high priest.

"While I may not return here, I have still signed your contract. If I ever need you, I will summon you."

Kousou seemed to relax at this, but he wasn't completely settled.

"Then please, allow us to send an emissary with you, to document your quest so we may add it to our holy book."

Gaara felt slightly embarrassed that details of his life would be open for the generations to see. But he didn't show it. At least his existence among the sandworms would be proven completely.

"Having a large sandworm following me around would hinder my progress." Gaara stated.

"Then let us send a small worm. How about Umibe?"

Umibe whipped his head up to his leader, frozen to the ground. Very slowly, he lowered his head to face Gaara, awaiting his answer hopefully.

"Alright."

Umibe exploded. Literally.

* * * * *

In Kazekage tower, a meeting was taking place between the Godaime and a young shinobi.

"Very well, Kabuto-san, tell your master Suna will be there." the Kazekage said, "But if you double-cross us, your lives will be forfeit. Understood?"

Kabuto smirked.

"Orochimaru-sama thanks you. We will see you there." he said, leaving.

The Kazekage rubbed his eyes. He turned in his chair to look outside.

"Kazekage-sama?" his assistant enquired. He sighed.

"Get me Baki." he ordered.

* * * * *

Gaara sat on a bench near the main gates, flexing his right arm. He hadn't expected the bonding to be so painful. As he tensed the arm's muscles, small blue markings appeared. When he released, they vanished.

Umibe was sitting next to him, on the ground. He was still ecstatic about his new position.

"Umibe." Gaara said.

"Gaara-sama?" the young worm asked, looking up at him.

"It's not a good idea for people to see you. I want the sandworms to be my last resort, ok?"

"What do you want me to do?"

Gaara removed his gourd & poured out some of the sand. Umibe understood and dispersed, flowing into the gourd. As soon as he was gone, Temari came round the corner.

"Hey Gaara." she said, sitting next to him, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Gaara looked straight ahead.

"Nothing will stop me." he said in a strong voice.

"You two ready to go?"

Temari looked up. Baki & Kankuro were in front of them.

"Come on, we're gonna be late!" Kankuro complained.

"Lets go." Gaara said. Getting up & walking off.

Kankuro watched as he walked by them, rolling his eyes, before following.

* * * * *

Four days later, they arrived in Konohagakure. The village was packed with genin from all over. As far as Gaara could tell, his squad were the only Suna shinobi there. Baki was showing his credentials to the gatemen, Temari & Kankuro were looking around, smirking.

Gaara walked off, leaving the rest of his squad behind. He passed a ramen stand where a young woman was washing a dozen bowls, muttering something about "that kid". As he walked further he saw into a restaurant where a bearded Konoha jounin was crying into his hands as an overweight genin placed an order which, judging by the pile of bowls in front of him, clearly wasn't his first. Opposite him was a dark haired boy who looked like he was taking a nap.

Later that day, Gaara was still walking through the streets when he heard Temari nearby.

"Hey! You're going to use Karasu?"

"_Karasu?"_ Gaara thought. He leapt up and stood in the shade of a tree, hanging from a branch.

The street in front of him was filled with genin & children. A short, blonde genin in orange jacket & pants was standing with a small, ugly child. Behind him was a pink haired girl shivering in fear with two more children hiding behind her. Sitting on a branch on the other side of the tree, was a dark haired genin who was having a glaring contest with Kankuro, who was holding his covered puppet by his side.

"Kankuro stop." Gaara ordered.

Everyone's heads snapped in Gaara's direction. It was obvious none of them had noticed his arrival. Kankuro looked afraid.

"You're a disgrace to our village." Gaara said.

"G-Gaara-" Kankuro stammered.

"Why do you think we came all this way to Konoha?" he demanded.

"Listen, Gaara. These guys started it."

"Shut up. I'll kill you."

Kankuro raised his hands.

"It was my fault. I'm sorry, really sorry."

Gaara turned to the Konoha genin.

"Excuse them, you guys." he said, before his eyes locked on to the dark haired boy.

"_You."_ he thought, eyes narrowing, _"I finally found you."_

"You." the boy said angrily, "Why do you look at me like that?"

Gaara glared at the boy.

"Uchiha Sasuke." said Gaara.

"Wha- how do you know my name?!" demanded Sasuke.

Gaara looked away.

"I don't feel obliged to answer that." he replied.

"ANSWER ME!"

Gaara locked eyes with Sasuke. His eyes were opened as wide as they could & his grin stretched across his face.

"Why Itachi. Why did you do it?" he said in a whiny voice.

Sasuke paled.

"How… how do you know that?" he whispered.

"Sasuke-kun?" the pink haired girl said, looking worriedly at him.

"How do you know that?" Sasuke repeated, clearer.

Gaara's eyes returned to normal size & his grin disappeared.

"If you can defeat me." he said, "At the end of the chunin exams, if you defeat me in combat, I will tell you."

"TELL ME NOW!" Sasuke yelled, lunging at Gaara, who disappeared in a whirl of sand.

* * * * *

"Gaara-sama?" Umibe piped up.

"What is it?"

Umibe seemed nervous.

"Why were you like that to the boy?" he asked.

Gaara sighed.

"My mission may require me to kill him. But it would be wrong to kill him without facing him, that is cowardly. So I made sure to give him a reason to fight me, so that he will fight at his strongest. I think I understand Itachi-san better now."

"I see." Umibe said quietly, before becoming energetic again, "So what are you going to do next?"

Gaara smirked and tossed Umibe a piece of herb filled bread.

"I don't know what these exams involve, but I from what Madara-sensei told me, the second stage will isolate us from the rest of Konoha. When that stage starts I must find Sasuke-san as soon as possible."

They were sitting in the shade of a tree, overlooking Konoha. The sun was setting & the Hokage monument was lit up. Gaara's ears picked something up.

"Don't move." he ordered. Umibe froze.

Temari climbed the hill, walking towards him. She paused as she saw Umibe.

"Gaara. Did you make that? She asked, assuming he was a sculpture. Gaara nodded.

Temari sat on Umibe's other side & ran a hand across him.

"_No."_ Gaara thought.

Umibe burst out in giggles. Temari let out a small scream & leapt to her feet. Gaara sighed.

"Good work Umibe." Gaara said.

Umibe looked ashamed, "Sorry Gaara-sama." he said, sadly.

"Gaara, what is that?" Temari demanded.

Gaara looked up at her.

"_He _is a sandworm." he said simply, "Sit down, you look like a fool."

Gingerly, Temari sat back down, not taking her eyes off Umibe.

They sat there for a while, Temari staring at Umibe, who was staring at Gaara, who was staring straight ahead. Finally he sighed.

"She's ok." he said.

Umibe jumped in the air & did a complete turn before landing, so that he was now facing Temari, who was leaning away, twitching.

"Hi! I'm Umibe." the young worm said happily.

Temari stopped twitching and leaned forward slightly.

"How old are you?" she asked.

Umibe stood as tall as he could.

"I'm four!" he said, proudly.

Temari blinked. Gaara wondered what was going through her head.

"You… you're…" she stammered.

Umibe tilted his head slightly.

"What?" he asked.

"Your so cute!" Temari said, wrapping her arms around Umibe & hugging him. Umibe yelped in surprise. Gaara groaned and palmed his face. Temari really loved young children. She probably had some natural mothering instinct or something.

"Temari." he said.

"Yeah?" she asked, her eyes squeezed shut with a big grin.

"Your crushing Umibe."

She wasn't really, but she let go. Umibe looked like he was in a daze.

"Aww." Temari cooed.

"_Great."_ Gaara thought.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"Baki-sensei said he needed to see us." she replied.

"Well lets go then." he said

Temari was petting Umibe, who was purring.

"Umibe, return." Gaara ordered.

"Ok Gaara-sama!" Umibe said, dispersing & flowing into the gourd.

"Wow. So is he, like a pet or something?" Temari asked.

As they walked to the hotel, Gaara told her about the sandworms and the oasis. Temari had a small smile.

"So that's where you went." she said in a sad voice.

"Gaara! Temari" Baki called.

They both looked up. Baki was leaning over the balcony. They both jumped up to him & followed him into the room.

* * * * *

"War?!" Kankuro exclaimed, "We can't go to war with Konoha, they're our allies!"

Baki sat still.

"Those are our Kazekage's orders." he stated.

Kankuro grunted & sat down.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Temari asked.

Baki stood and walked to the window.

"We are to ensure that Gaara gets through to the final round. That is where we need him to be during the first assault, because that is where the Hokage & ANBU will be. When the attack starts, Gaara will transform into Shukaku & do as much damage as possible."

Gaara hadn't said anything on this matter. He didn't care about the Kazekage. As soon as he completed his mission, he was leaving to join Akatsuki.

When the others were asleep, Gaara headed outside. He ran across the rooftops for a while, stopping at one with a bench. He took off his gourd & lay on the ground, looking up at the sky.

"_Things are getting complicated." _he thought, _"How am I going to complete my mission & escape when there is a war going on around me?"_

"Hey."

Gaara lifted his head. The dark haired boy he spotted in the restaurant was standing not far from him.

"I see it's not only me who likes this spot." the boy said, laying down on the bench.

Gaara lowered his head again.

"Hey, you're name's Gaara, right? Naruto-kun told me about you. He said you were some kinda "crazy manic killer". That sound about right?"

Gaara continued to look at the sky.

"Naruto-san would be the blonde kid in the orange outfit?" he asked.

The boy smirked.

"Yeah, that's him." he said, "Name's Shikamaru. So what are you doing out here?"

"I needed a place to think." Gaara answered, "What about you?"

"Something like that. My mom's pretty steamed at my dad, so I came to the one place in Konoha that isn't troublesome."

They lay there silently for a while, both looking at the stars.

"So are you taking part in the chunin exams?" Gaara asked.

"Yeah, but it's gonna be a drag. I'm just doing it for my sensei."

Gaara smiled to himself.

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

They lay there for a little while longer before Shikamaru stretched & stood up.

"Well, I hope I don't have to face you in the exams." he said, leaving, "See ya."

Gaara thought about the exams. From what he had heard, the first exam was a written test. Shikamaru would have no problem there. Temari was a genius, Gaara recognized them.

"So here you are."

Gaara tilted his head up & saw Sasuke standing on the roof, upside down from his perspective.

"You're persistent, Sasuke-san." Gaara said.

"Tell me what you know about my brother." Sasuke demanded.

Gaara sighed, "We've been through this. If you can defeat me at the end of the exams, I will tell you everything I know."

Sasuke parted his feet & took on a combat stance.

"Why don't I just defeat you now?" he said, challengingly.

Gaara raised a finger.

"I am an insomniac. You are tired."

Gaara raised a second finger.

"I know all about the Uchiha's abilities. You know none of mine."

Gaara raised a third finger.

"I have eight years more experience than you."

Gaara raised a fourth finger.

"I have already defeated you."

Gaara closed his fingers into a fist, causing the sand gathered behind Sasuke to slam into the back of his head. He immediately lost consciousness.

* * * * *

The next day was the start of the chunin exams. Kankuro had immediately seen through the genjutsu on the door, making the sand siblings one of the first teams to get to the correct place.

As they waited for the first exam to start, three Konoha genin approached them. Gaara didn't look but Temari & Kankuro did.

"You there, you are Subaku no Gaara, correct?"

Gaara opened his eyes. In front of him was a boy dressed in light clothing. His brown hair was tied & fell down his back & his arms were bandaged. Gaara looked at his face.

"Yes. And you are a Hyuuga." he noted.

"Yes, how did you know that?" the Hyuuga boy asked.

Gaara reached into his satchel and pulled out a small case. He opened it up for the boy to see. As soon as he realised what those were, the boy stepped back.

"How did you get those?" he demanded, angrily. His comrades looked grossed out.

Gaara put the case away & looked at the Hyuuga's comrades. One of them was a tall boy clad in green. He had a bowl cut hairstyle & a pair of the largest eyebrows he had ever seen. The other one was a girl. She was wearing a pink sleeveless shirt & had her brown hair tied up in twin buns. She was giving Gaara a hard stare, but her eyes wandered over to the naginata strapped to his back.

Gaara could swear hearts appeared in her eyes.

"Aaaah! Is that…? Can I see it, please, please, please?" she begged.

Gaara stared at her.

"_Is she out of her mind?" _Gaara thought.

"Please? I'll do anything!" she promised.

Gaara stood. He could tell Kankuro was grinning stupidly. Pervert.

He pulled his weapon out and held it horizontally in front of him with one hand. With the other, he pulled the sheath off.

"GYAAAA!!!" the girl squealed, cupping her hands together over her mouth. In an instant, she was inches away from the weapon, eyes glistening.

"Tenten-chan, get a hold of yourself!" the Hyuuga ordered.

"Neji-kuuun…" Tenten whined.

"Tenten-chan." Neji repeated.

"GAI-SENSEI!" the large eye browed one shouted.

"LEE!" yelled a voice from far away.

Tenten sighed & stood up.

"What do you want for it?" she asked, seriously.

Gaara narrowed his eyes at her.

"_She_ is one of my most prized possessions. I will not part with her."

Tenten blinked.

"Her?" she asked, before her eyes started shining and her hands cupped over her mouth, "She has a name?"

Gaara nodded.

"Yes, Sasayaki." he said, holding her at his side.

"KYUUUUU!!!" Tenten squealed again.

Neji palmed his face & Lee looked like he was getting pumped from the excitement.

"THE ATMOSPHERE IS SO YOUTHFUL!!!" he yelled, fire burning in his eyes.

Suddenly, the proctor for the first exam appeared.

"All right scumbags, get moving!" he said, leading them away.

Neji smacked Lee across the back of the head & walked towards the door. Tenten gave Gaara a determined look.

"Later, you & I are going to spar. My best weapon against yours." she said, before turning & heading towards the door.

"Tenten-san"

Tenten turned her head towards Gaara, a questioning look on her face.

"When you asked to see Sasayaki, you promised you would do anything." Gaara said, hearing a snicker from Kankuro.

"Y-yeah?" Tenten replied nervously.

Gaara closed his eyes for a second before saying something in a very serious tone.

"You will go on a date with my sibling."

The snickering stopped.

The group was silent for a moment. Even Neji was still, foot sticking out the door.

Tenten was taken aback. After a few seconds, she recovered & smiled at Temari.

"Ok, when will I pick you up?" she said brightly.

Temari twitched. Kankuro blanched. Gaara shook his head.

"Not that sibling." he said.

Tenten raised her eyebrows & looked at Kankuro, who was gaping at her.

"Take off your hood." she ordered.

Kankuro instantly obeyed. Tenten looked him over for a couple of seconds. She shrugged.

"Alright." she said, walking off. She gave a wave to Kankuro, "Come find me after the exam big guy."

Kankuro watched as she left. When she was gone he was on his knees at Gaara's feet.

"Thank you Gaara, I am forever in your debt!" he said, eyes shining.

Gaara started walking.

"Maybe now you'll have better things to do than torment small children." he said.

As he left, an old man with long, white & spiky hair burst in.

"What did I miss?" he demanded.

* * * * *

"All right scumbags!" he yelled, "You will answer the nine questions on your paper. You start the test with 10 points. Any incorrect answers will cause you to lose a point" … "if you are caught cheating three times, you & your team will be disqualified from the exam" … "at the end of the exam, you will be given the tenth question" … "alright begin."

Gaara looked at his test paper. There was no way he could answer these questions. He looked up & saw Temari flying through the test. Another glance confirmed that Shikamaru _was_ a genius, although he wasn't putting nearly as much effort in. Some others, however, were less fortunate. The boy called Naruto was panicking, Lee had his hands in his hair & the overweight guy seemed to have his mind on a food stand outside.

Gaara noticed that some of the chunin at the sides were already taking notes of cheaters. But he saw the ones they didn't. Sasuke was staring hard at the back of the guy in front of him, Gaara guessed his Sharingan was active. It also seemed there was more than one Hyuuga in the room. Even Kankuro had replaced a chunin with Karasu.

Gaara smirked & decided to try his own thing. After forming a few hand signs under the desk, he placed his fingers over an eye and used his Daisan no Me. He soon had the answers he needed & copied them onto the paper.

He waited.

"Alright!" Ibiki yelled, "Now it's time for the tenth question. But there are special rules. First, this question is the hardest. Second you can decide to back out now. You & your team can try again next time if you do. Third, if you fail this question, you will fail the exam & be banned from all future chunin exams. Now decide."

Gaara didn't move. He needed to get to the second stage of the chunin exam. No matter what.

"I'm out." someone said, standing up.

"Alright, you're excused." Ibiki said, grinning slightly.

The guys teamates got up & left too, muttering darkly under their breaths.

Some more teams left before a short silence were no one moved. The pink haired girl looked like she was about to raise her hand, but her comrade, Naruto, beat her to it. Shakily, he rose his hand in the air, like it was the hardest thing in his life. He suddenly slammed his hand on the desk.

"Screw you! I'm not going to run away!" he yelled.

Everyone was staring at him, but he didn't seem to care.

"I'll take this problem! Even if I become a genin forever, I'm going to become a Hokage no matter what anyway!"

He got to his feet, hands pressed firmly on the desk.

"I'm not scared!"

He sat back down & folded his arms, looking very childish.

The other genin seemed to become more confident from his words.

"_This guy." _Gaara thought, _"He has to be the most pathetic excuse for a shinobi I have ever seen. And yet, he still won't back down."_

"I will ask one more time." Ibiki said, "This is the choice that will impact your life. If you want to quit, now is the chance."

"I'm not going to take back my words." Naruto replied, "That's my 'Way of the Ninja'."

Almost all the genin were now wearing confident smirks, the exceptions being Gaara, Neji & a Konoha genin with sunglasses on. Ibiki cast a last glance across the room.

"Nice determination." he said, "Then… for the first exam, everyone here…"

The genin tensed.

"Passes!"


	8. The reborn sand charmer

Yes, 8! i always liked 8 cos when you turn it on its side, it looks like infinity. here's a question. if orochimaru was in sasuke's body & his remains inside kabuto's, does that mean that if he took over in both cases there would be 2 orochimarus?

**Disclaimer: ... does it really need to be said?**

* * *

The reborn sand charmer

They all exited the exam room. Everyone was in high spirits from passing.

"Whoo!" Kankuro exhaled, "For a second there I thought it was all over!"

Temari gave a self-satisfied smirk.

"It wasn't _that _hard." she said, confidently.

Something clicked in Kankuro's head.

"Oh yeah!" he said, grinning broadly, "I've got somewhere to be!"

He left to look for Tenten. Temari turned to Gaara. She was tapping her chin.

"So… you want go for a walk in the forest?" she asked, nonchalantly.

Gaara stared at Temari.

"I… uh… just think it would be-"

"You just want to see Umibe again."

Temari held her hands in a begging way.

"Come on Gaara, please?"

Gaara sighed.

"Fine, let me get him some food first." he said, walking away.

"Ok!" Temari said brightly, "See you there!"

Gaara stepped into the streets & headed for the market district. All the shops looked like they were closing, but Gaara found a small corner shop still open. He went inside & looked around for anything Umibe might eat. He grabbed a few things & paid for them. As he left the shop, he saw a few of the genin from the exam, and their jounin sensei walking by. One of the genin was Shikamaru.

"Hey." he said, giving a small wave. Gaara nodded back.

"Who's your friend, he's cute." said the blonde girl walking with Shikamaru. When Shikamaru gave her a look she stammered, "Uh- but he's got nothing on Sasuke-kun!"

Gaara blinked.

"_So the Uchiha's pretty popular, huh?"_ he thought, _"Maybe after I complete my mission, I'll stick around for the third part of the exam & prove just how weak the tame Uchiha really is."_

Smirking, he set off to find Temari. When he found her, she was sitting in the same spot from before. She spotted him & stood, waving. He caught up with her & they began walking through the woods.

"Alright, Umibe, you can come out now." Gaara said, removing the cork from his gourd.

Sand poured out from the gourd, spiralled in the air & formed into the small sandworm.

"Hai Gaara-sama!" Umibe said, happily.

"Hi Umibe-kun!" Temari said, smiling.

Umibe jumped onto Temari's shoulder, who giggled.

Gaara reached into his satchel & pulled out the food he had bought. One look at Temari & he immediately handed the food over. She began feeding Umibe, who was clearly enjoying the food, judging by the sounds he was making.

Temari opened a packet of potato chips & fed one to him. Umibe crunched it happily for a second. Before he turned red.

"AAAAHHH!!! HOT!!!" he yelled.

Temari looked at the chips. _Extra Spicy._

"So apparently, the only thing he won't eat is spicy food." Gaara noted.

"Cool, he changed colour!" Temari said, looking surprised.

"Hm? Oh yeah, he can do that." Gaara replied, "It's something to do with his being able to change the properties of the sand. He can disperse, harden, or change colour. It makes the sandworm adaptable to any kind of sandy environment."

Temari put away the chips and started feeding Umibe some sandwiches, which he loved.

* * * * *

Later, they had returned to their hotel room. Kankuro was still out on his date. Baki was reading a letter he had received from Suna. When he was finished, he put it away.

"Where is he?" he asked no-one in particular.

"I convinced a Konoha genin to go out with him." Gaara answered, laying on an armchair with his legs hanging over the side. Baki smirked.

"So the lucky guy's already sampling Konoha's cuisine eh? If there's one thing to say about this place, it bears a lot of beautiful women."

Temari gave a disgusted grunt.

"Perv." she muttered.

"Anyway, you guys prepared for tomorrow? Your gonna be on your own for a while & as far as I'm aware, you're only permitted to bring ninja tools."

Temari waved away his question.

"Yeah, we're ready. This isn't the first time I've been in the Forest of Death, you know."

It was then that Kankuro entered the room, wearing an expression that made Temari want to throw up.

"I'm in love!" he exclaimed, spinning around the room.

Temari glared at him.

"What do you mean you're in love?" she demanded.

Baki barked a laugh, "He means he got to first base."

Kankuro shook his head, "Better, second."

Baki looked bewildered, "What kind of girl were you out with?"

Kankuro smiled as wide as he could.

"A bi." he said.

Baki took on a serious expression. He grabbed Kankuro by the shoulders & looked deep into his eyes.

"Listen here, we are about to go to war with Konoha. I can't allow your feelings for one of the enemy to get in the way, understood?"

Kankuro nodded quickly.

"But if she survives, marry her."

Temari let out another disgusted grunt & went to her room.

Gaara got up too, but he went outside for another rooftop trek.

He didn't go to the same place as before, he wanted somewhere he could be alone. So he travelled in the opposite direction and found an apartment building that looked suitable. He stood on the roof and leaned on the fence on the edge.

"_It's almost time." _he thought, _"Tomorrow I will-"_

"HEY!"

Gaara whipped his head round. Standing behind him was-

Gaara groaned. Not him.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE?"

"Naruto-san, stop yelling or I'll kill you." Gaara said.

Naruto looked afraid for a second, before making a confident face.

"Like you could! I could defeat you without breaking a sweat!" he said, grinning.

Gaara turned fully towards Naruto.

"Your team mate thought so too." he said.

Naruto's confidence disappeared.

"You- you beat up Sasuke?"

Gaara nodded.

"Yes. He foolishly challenged me without knowing my capabilities. I wouldn't make that same mistake, if I were you."

They stared each other down for a while, Gaara's face stoic while Naruto's showed fear.

"So you're the Jinchuriki for the Kyuubi." Gaara noted. He had seen the signs easily.

Naruto's face changed, the light from his eyes disappeared.

"Yeah, what of it?" he said, impassively.

Gaara smirked.

"I take it your used to people looking down on you." he said.

Naruto blinked, "How did you know?" he asked.

Gaara looked off to his right side, towards Suna.

"That's how the people of my village see me. I know that pain. The pain of loneliness."

Naruto was staring intently at Gaara, a little of the light had returned to his eyes.

"You do?"

Gaara nodded again, "But then I found someone. Someone who gave me a chance to escape that loneliness. I will do anything that person asks of me. I am eternally indebted to him."

Naruto looked at Gaara like he recognised something within him.

"You're just like Haku." he said with a sad smile.

Gaara looked at Naruto. He really did seem to have a lot of potential. Pity.

"Naruto-san, I have a favour to ask."

Naruto blinked, "What is it?"

"Tomorrow. Watch out for your team mate. You may be the only one who can protect him."

"Huh? What do you mean, protect him from what?"

Gaara didn't answer. He disappeared in a whirl of sand.

* * * * *

The next day, outside the Forest of Death, Gaara felt many eyes upon his squad. Naruto, Sasuke & the pink haired girl kept glancing at him from a distance. Shikamaru raised his hand in the air when he saw Gaara. His blonde team mate was a little less subtle.

"Hi Gaara-kuuun!" she called out.

"Do you know her?" Temari asked, frowning at the girl.

"Not at all." Gaara answered.

Tenten kept shifting to giving Gaara a determined look, to giving Kankuro a different look altogether.

"Hee-hee-hee." Kankuro giggled perversely, receiving a hand across the head from Temari.

"Everyone! Around me!" called out the second exam proctor, Mitarashi Anko. When everyone had formed a half-circle around her, she began giving them her instructions.

Once she was done, & they had signed the consent form, they all received a scroll.

"Now get to your assigned gates!" she ordered, leaving them.

Kankuro looked at their scroll.

"Lets go" he said, walking towards their gate. Temari grinned at Gaara.

"Isn't that usually your line?" she joked.

Gaara looked at her.

"You know, the faster we get this thing started, the faster I can let Umibe out." he said.

Temari blinked and started walking faster.

* * * * *

About an hour had passed since they'd entered the forest. They were taking their time, choosing to play it slow. Gaara had let Umibe out, having already told Kankuro about him. Umibe was crawling on the ground by Gaara's side, looking at the giant trees in awe.

"Wow. I think some of these might even be bigger than Kousou-sama!" he exclaimed, making Temari laugh.

"So how are we going to do this?" Kankuro asked, annoyed that they hadn't immediately sought out another scroll.

Gaara stopped.

"What is it, Gaara-sama?" Umibe asked.

Gaara turned to face his siblings.

"Gaara?" Temari asked, looking nervous.

"Temari, Kankuro." Gaara said, "This is were we part ways."

Kankuro frowned.

"You want us to split up? Is that really necessary? I mean, we could just _take _a scroll & no-one could do anything about it."

Gaara shook his head. Temari figured it out.

"You're leaving." she said.

"WHAT?! Gaara, you can't be serious!" Kankuro exclaimed.

Gaara crossed his arms & closed his eyes.

"I do not serve the Kazekage. I serve another." Gaara replied.

"Another?" Temari repeated, tears filling up her eyes, "Please, Gaara, don't leave us."

Gaara turned away from her & began to walk away when he felt her arms wrap around him.

"No! Don't go!" she cried, weeping into his shoulder.

Gaara turned back & placed his hands on Temari's shoulders. He looked deep into her eyes.

"Temari, I have a purpose now." he said. "I will help my sensei achieve his dreams. Nothing will stop me from gaining my place by his side."

Temari wiped her eyes.

"You're not going to change your mind?" she asked.

Gaara shook his head.

"No."

"I see. Then… take me with you!" she begged.

"Temari! What are you saying?" Kankuro exclaimed.

Gaara was frowning at Temari.

"Why? Why do you care?" he asked.

Temari sniffed & smiled at him.

"You're my little brother & I love you." she said.

Gaara froze.

"You l-…lo…"

He grabbed his hair & screamed.

"Gaara!" Temari & Kankuro cried.

Gaara was on his knees, screaming in pain.

"GET OUT!" he ordered, "GET OUT OF MY MIND!"

The sand flooded out of his gourd & attacked Temari, wrapping itself around her neck.

"NO!" he yelled, stretching his hand out and trying to pull the sand away.

"UMIBE!" he called out.

"Hai Gaara-sama!" Umibe called, leaping onto the sand, biting through it.

The sand retreated and trapped Gaara in the sphere.

"GET OUT OF ME!" Gaara screamed.

"_YOU!!! YOU STILL DON'T KNOW YOUR PLACE!"_

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"_I AM IN CONTROL HERE! YOU ARE MY SERVANT, NOW KILL! I WILL HAVE HER BLOOD!"_

Gaara's hands fell to his side, he stopped screaming.

"No." he growled.

"_LISTEN TO ME BOY, I-"_

"Shut up. You have no control over me. You are just a weak fragment of your former self, attempting to get a taste of freedom through me. I see it now. It is not my existence that is in question, _it is yours_. If I don't follow your orders, if I don't listen to you, then you do not exist. You are afraid that your existence will be nullified. That you will no longer be. Well understand something. If I cease to exist, then so do you. If you wish to hold on to your pitiful existence, then you better not get in my way."

"…"

The sand fell around Gaara, landing in a heap on the ground. Gaara realized he had won, but he suddenly felt very weak. He fell forwards & landed on the ground face first.

"Gaara!" Temari cried, rushing to his side, turning him over. When he was on his back, Temari realized he was smiling.

"I can't hear him anymore." he whispered, "I won."

The world turned black.

* * * * *

"_Ngh._"

"Kankuro, he's awake!"

"Wha- really?"

Slowly, Gaara opened his eyes. It was very late, judging by how dark the forest was. Nearby, a fire was throwing an orange light onto the trees.

Gaara was lying on the ground, his head resting on Temari's lap. He looked up at her & felt a teardrop hit his cheek.

"You're ok." she said, more to herself than him.

"Temari." Gaara said, getting up.

"You've been gone for hours." Temari told him, smiling sadly.

Gaara looked uneasy. He kept glancing around the area.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, looking concerned.

Gaara pressed his hand against his forehead.

"I'm just not used to things being this quiet." he said.

"_Ca-caw!"_

"_Hisssss."_

"_ROOAAARRR!!!"_

Kankuro looked out into the woods then back at Gaara.

"Quiet? What are you talking about?" he asked.

Gaara rapped his knuckles against his head.

"In here." he said.

"Oh."

Gaara walked over to the campfire & sat by it. Off to his left Umibe was attacking the pile of sand.

"Bad sand!" he yelled, "You hurt Temari-chan!"

Temari & Kankuro sat down on either side of Gaara. The three of them were looking into the fire. Neither of them spoke for a while. Umibe had become tired & was resting his head on Temari's lap while she petted him.

"So…" Kankuro said, "What's the deal with you leaving?"

Gaara looked through the fire, back to the last time he saw Madara.

"You remember the first time the sand took me, the day everything changed?" he asked.

Temari nodded as she remembered.

"Well, the Shukaku said things. Things that made a lot of sense to me. But he demanded too much of me. His power was great. I couldn't be sure that I could always be in control. So I decided to lead a life of solitude, in the hope I wouldn't hurt anyone precious to me."

Temari looked at Gaara, hope in her eyes.

"Anyone precious to you?" she repeated.

Gaara wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his chin on them.

"I'm sorry." he said, aware of the fresh tears pouring down Temari's cheeks.

"So, wait." Kankuro said, eyebrows raised, "That whole crazy, psycho killer thing was just an act?"

Gaara shook his head.

"He was affecting my mind. I was his puppet. If either of you pushed me, I probably would have killed you. I couldn't let that happen."

Kankuro nodded.

"So what does that have to do with this?" he asked.

"The day before that happened, I met a man who was all alone. He had disguised himself as uncle Yashamaru to get me to follow him. But when he revealed himself, I didn't fear him. I felt like I had been waiting for him. I had only just met him, but I trusted him. I decided then & there that my fate was to follow this mans will, so that I may eventually stand by his side as his dreams come true. I still believe that & that's why I must leave."

Gaara made to stand, but Kankuro grabbed his shoulder & pulled him back down.

"Sorry bro." he said, not looking at him, "There's no way we're letting you walk away from us that easy."

Gaara glared at him. But that glare changed to surprise as Kankuro met his glare with a determined look.

"If you want to take this path… we're coming with you."

Gaara blinked. He looked at Temari, only to see the same determined look.

"You would abandon Suna, just to follow me?" he asked, bewildered. Temari nodded & Kankuro grinned.

Gaara looked back to the fire & smirked inwardly.

"Ok." he said, getting up.

"Then I guess…" he said, walking away.

"That you two…" he said, pausing.

"Are my subordinates." he said, looking back at them.

Both Temari & Kankuro sweat dropped.

"Subordinates?" Kankuro repeated.

"Great." Temari said, unenthusiastically.

"Now then." Gaara said, "If you two really want to come along, then you are going to help me complete my mission."

"Your mission? So you gonna tell us what it is?" Kankuro asked, as the two of them stood.

"Temari, Kankuro, the three of us together." Gaara said, as Umibe climbed onto his shoulder, "We are going to kill Orochimaru."

Temari & Kankuro paused.

"Did I just hear right?!" Kankuro asked, eyes wide, "You're going to try to kill the _Legendary Sannin _Orochimaru?!"

"What makes you think we even stand a chance?" Temari asked, looking shocked.

"I have a plan." Gaara answered, "But first, we _must _find Uchiha Sasuke. If Orochimaru gets him, we have failed."

"Ok." Temari said, "How are you going to find him?"

Gaara turned to Umibe & quietly gave him an order. He nodded, flipped off Gaara's back & burrowed into the ground.

"I saw his team's gate number earlier. If we hurry, we can intercept them."

"Hai!" Temari & Kankuro called out as the three of them leapt up to the tree branches & moved out.

Gaara took the lead, with Kankuro behind to his left & Temari to his right. As they travelled through the forest, Gaara thought about the last time he had spoken to Madara.

"Gaara-kun, you're sure you're ready for this?" Madara had said, "It will probably be very painful."

"I will do whatever it takes." Gaara answered, "To make myself worthy of a place in your clan."

Gaara took his shirt of & lay on the table, facing the floor. Kazuma stepped forward & placed the teakettle containing Shukaku on a smaller table next to him. He then put a piece of plastic between Gaara's teeth for him to bite down on. He took out a brush & started marking points on Gaara's body. As a final measure, he attached restraints to Gaara's wrists & ankles. When he was done, he turned to Madara.

"I have marked the necessary points to bond the chakra to." he said.

"Very well." Madara replied, "Then let us begin. I'll focus on removing the chakra from the source, you focus on bonding it to Gaara-kun."

Together, Madara & Kazuma formed hand seals faster than the eye could see. When they both had finished, they called out.

"HA!" they yelled.

A sand coloured vapour began pouring out of the teakettle. It swirled in the air, heading towards Gaara. It focused on the points Kazuma had marked & settled on top of them. They then began sinking into Gaara's skin.

"HHHRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!" came Gaara's muffled scream, him biting deep into the plastic.

The procedure lasted for three hours. After an hour, Gaara had passed out & was still unconscious. He awoke two days later in a bed inside a dimly lit room.

He groaned & sat up. In the corner, Madara was rising out of an armchair.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

Gaara groaned as he held his left hand to his forehead; his right one was too painful to move.

"What was the name of that Sharingan Katon jutsu again?" he asked.

"Amaterasu?" Madara offered.

"Yeah. This feels exactly how I imagined that would feel like."

Madara chuckled.

"You are underestimating the Amaterasu." he said.

"Am I now strong enough to defeat Orochimaru?"

Madara's face was serious.

"Raw power alone will not lead you to victory. The legendary sannin were named by Sanshōuo no Hanzō himself. That alone attests to their skill. You will need to come up with a strategy to defeat someone like Orochimaru."

Gaara nodded.

"Is there anything you can tell me about him?" he asked.

"Well, aside from his great skills as a shinobi, he has augmented his body in many ways to make himself even more snakelike. His sense of smell is powerful & he can detect nearby vibrations. His eyes are also infrared sensitive. In other words, it will be almost impossible to hide from him."

"I see."

Madara smiled at Gaara.

"Gaara-kun. Every time we meet, I become ever more certain that you are the one."

Gaara looked at Madara.

"The one what?" he asked.

"Not now." Madara replied, "But one day, you will control the fate of the world. I trust you to make the correct decision."

"Madara-sensei, your will is my destiny."

Madara shook his head.

"No Gaara-kun, your destiny is bound to the destiny of the entire world. It is not held in place by something as fragile as my will."

Gaara stared at Madara.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"That one day, our paths will meet for the last time. I have lived long for a single purpose, & committed crimes so inhuman that when the Shinigami comes for my soul, I will bow my head for his blade. But there is one thing I must do before that day & that is to make you strong enough to face the challenges of your life."

Madara placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"Gaara-kun, the day I took your parents lives, I looked at you like you were my own son. I know you will make me proud."

"_I will, Madara-sensei."_ Gaara thought, racing ahead of his siblings, _"I will make you proud!"_


	9. The curse of the former

Damn. i just pulled an all-nighter on this & i don't feel tired at all. writing fanfics is a lot of fun, isn't it? i've been obsessing about this story since i started it! to anyone who just reads, give writing a fic a try, it's great.

**Disclaimer: I'm gonna write a Naruto's Not Mine song. just for the helluvit.**

* * *

The curse of the former

They had been travelling for a few hours now. It was difficult to tell how long they had been in the forest; time had little meaning among the titanic trees.

They had found Sasuke's trail about half a mile back & were now racing to catch up with him. All of a sudden, Gaara spotted Umibe crawling out from the ground to the distance. He dispersed & reformed o Gaara's shoulder.

"Did you find them?" Gaara asked.

"Hai, Gaara-sama. They are fighting with a Kusa shinobi… but he was riding a giant snake."

"Orochimaru." Gaara growled, "Are the preparations complete?"

Umibe nodded, "I did as you asked."

"So Gaara, what's the plan?" Kankuro asked.

"Orochimaru has genetically enhanced his body so that he can sense vibrations. He also has a strong sense of smell & can see heat. So it is almost impossible to sneak up on him."

"So what do we do then?" Temari asked.

Gaara told them his plan. As he went through it, Kankuro's eyes widened.

"That's brilliant." Kankuro breathed.

"I don't know." Temari countered, "There's no guarantee it will work."

"My mission is to make sure he fails to take Sasuke-san. Orochimaru uses an immortality jutsu were he takes over a body, allowing him to increase his lifespan. This process isn't permanent however, & my master believes that Sasuke-san is Orochimaru's next target."

"…Wait, so… if all we have to do is stop him from gaining the Sharingan, then why don't we just kill Sasuke-san?" Temari asked.

Gaara shook his head.

"I will not kill anyone who hasn't wronged me or my master unless I have no other choice. Orochimaru has done so, so I aim to kill him anyway."

Temari & Kankuro nodded slowly.

"Umibe, how far away are they?" Gaara asked.

"At this pace, we will reach them in about a minute… I think."

"You think?" Kankuro questioned, "You mean you don't know?"

"He's only a child!" Temari scolded him, "He hasn't had shinobi training!"

"Quiet you two." Gaara said, as he spotted a cloud of dust appear in the distance.

They stopped a hundred yards away from the actual conflict. They saw Sasuke hunched over, he looked exhausted. The Kusa shinobi was tied to a tree covered in burn marks. The pink haired girl hurried to Sasuke to see if he was alright.

The Kusa shinobi broke free of the wires & took a few steps forwards. He did a hand sign, causing Sasuke & his team mate to lose control of their bodies. The pink haired girl fell to her knees while Sasuke fought to stay steady.

"I'm impressed that you can use your Sharingan so well at your age." the Kusa shinobi said, his voice becoming higher & raspy, "You live up to the name Uchiha."

The Kusa shinobi had the skin missing from the left side of his face, revealing a paler face & a yellow eye with a snake-like pupil. He raised his hand to his headband & the symbol changed from Kusa to Oto.

"I want you after all." he said.

"Kankuro, get ready." Gaara ordered.

"Alright." Kankuro replied.

Sasuke screamed in pain, keeling over.

"You two are definitely brothers." Oto shinobi said, "Your eyes say that you carry more potential than Itachi."

"Who are you?" Sasuke demanded.

"Temari." Gaara said.

"Yeah, I'm ready." she replied.

The Oto shinobi tossed a scroll in the air & caught it in his hand.

"My name is Orochimaru." he said, "If you wish to see me again, get through this Exam as if your life depended on it."

"_What?" _Gaara thought, _"You're not taking him?"_

The scroll in Orochimaru's hand began burning in green fire.

"In other words, you'll have to defeat my subordinates, the three Oto ninja."

"I thought you said he was going to kidnap Sasuke-san?" Kankuro said, frowning.

"This is strange. What is he doing?" Temari wondered.

Gaara lifted a finger to his lips.

"What nonsense are you chattering?" the pink haired girl said, "We never want to see your face anymore!"

Orochimaru chuckled, "It doesn't work that way."

He then formed another hand sign & his neck stretched at an impossible rate.

"What is that?!" Temari exclaimed.

His head shot through the air, aimed right at Sasuke. He opened his mouth & bit into his neck.

"Sasuke-kun!" The pink haired girl cried.

Sasuke was twitching in pain. After a couple of seconds, Orochimaru let go & his neck retracted back to normal.

"He bit him?" Kankuro thought aloud.

Sasuke groaned & grabbed his neck, clearly suffering.

"Sasuke kun…!" the girl cried, "What did you do to Sasuke-kun!"

Orochimaru raised a finger to his mouth.

"I gave him a farewell present." he said, "Sasuke-kun will seek me. He will seek me for power."

"Now!" Gaara ordered.

Kankuro raised his hands & his puppet appeared. Orochimaru spotted it & his eyebrows raised.

"Karasu?" he noted.

The puppets mouth opened & out shot a poisonous gas. Orochimaru smirked.

"Are you trying to trick me?" he said playfully, glancing behind him, "That will never reach here."

"Temari!" Gaara called.

"Hai!" she replied, whipping out her fan, "Kamaitachi no Jutsu!"

She waved her fan & the massive gust blew the gas straight into Orochimaru.

The sannin tried to escape, but for some reason his feet were trapped. He couldn't see the reason through the smoke but his attention was diverted as the branch he was standing on was cut clean through. It fell through the air & landed on the ground with a crash. As he looked at the ground beneath him, he realized that there was a peculiar creature wrapped around his legs. But what was stranger was that instead of moss & grass, sand sat beneath him. Gaara leapt off the tree & as he fell, he thrust his arm out.

"Ryūsa Bakeryū!" he yelled.

The sand Shifted into a large wave & slammed straight into Orochimaru, who yelled out in fear.

"Sabaku Taisō!" Gaara yelled again, slamming his hands into the sand as he landed. A shockwave flew across the surface of the sand, crushing anything inside it. Gaara stood & surveyed his work. He turned to leave but froze as he heard a sound.

"Ku ku ku, aren't you a rude child?" Orochimaru said, rising out of the sand, "You shouldn't interrupt others."

Gaara spun round and threw his right arm out. As he moved it changed, enlarging & growing blue markings. It flew through the air. Orochimaru's eyes widened in shock as he was hit with the attack & slammed into a tree.

"Gaara!" Temari called out in shock.

"That arm." Orochimaru said through gritted teeth, "Where did you get that arm?"

"My master gave it to me. You betrayed him." Gaara growled, walking slowly towards the sannin, "I will make you pay."

Orochimaru smirked.

"So you are on a quest for vengeance? Alright then, tell me, who did I kill that you call master?"

Gaara hung his head as he walked, not looking at the snake.

"Heh heh heh."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, "What's so funny?"

"That you would assume my master is dead." Gaara replied.

He was now very close to Orochimaru.

"I assure you he is very much alive. He is disappointed in you, Orochimaru-san. You attacked Itachi-san & fled. Now I must kill you."

Orochimaru's eyes widened, "The Rinnegan user sent you?"

Gaara laughed again.

"Him? He is not my master. In fact, once I take care of you, he will be my equal."

He was now but a few feet from Orochimaru.

"The man who sent me to kill you." Gaara said, slowly raising his head, "His name, is Uchiha Madara!"

Orochimaru's eyes widened further.

"Uchiha Madara lives? That's impossible!"

Gaara's expression was that of insanity.

"Apparently his immortality jutsu is better than yours, Orochimaru-san! He wants you dead & I shall fulfil his wish!"

Orochimaru looked panicked.

"No, please! I surrender! Don't kill me!" he begged.

Gaara frowned. He focused chakra to his right eye & felt it change. He looked at Orochimaru growled in anger. He crushed the Tsuchi Bunshin in his Shukaku hand & used his other arm to block the mud that flew at him. All around him came Orochimaru's voice.

"Ku ku ku ku ku ku. I will see you soon Gaara-kun."

"NO!" Gaara roared, throwing his mutated fist into the tree, leaving a massive gouge in it.

"NO! NO! NO! GOD-DAMN-IT!" he screamed, each syllable resulting in a another punch at the tree, the hole growing larger each time.

"Gaara!" Temari cried, grabbing his shoulder & pulling him towards her. She gasped.

His right eye was different from his left. It was black with a gold iris and a small black diamond surrounded by four blue dots.

"Gaara… what did you do to yourself?" she asked.

Gaara shrugged her off.

"Where's Sasuke-san?" he asked, eye & arm returning to normal.

"Kankuro's getting him." she answered.

The two of them jumped up to were Kankuro was. He was currently in a vocal fight with the pink haired girl. Sasuke was unconscious.

"Why don't you leave us alone? We don't have a scroll!" she yelled.

"I don't care about that!" Kankuro said.

"So you just want to kill us?" she asked, looking afraid.

"Pink-haired-girl-san, we mean you no harm. Here." he said, tossing her his scroll, "Now would you please go get Naruto-san? We will look after Sasuke-san, I give you my word."

The girl still looked uncertain, but a warm smile from Temari seemed to convince her. She nodded & went to get Naruto. When she was gone, Gaara checked the place Sasuke was bitten. He found a seal on his skin that probably wasn't there earlier.

"What is this?" he wondered.

The girl returned with Naruto over her shoulder.

"What are you doing to Sasuke-kun?" she demanded.

Gaara stood & looked at her.

"Orochimaru-san has placed a seal on Sasuke-san." he answered, "I don't recognize it, there's no way of knowing what it's doing to him."

The girl looked shocked. Gaara turned to his siblings.

"I need to contact my master for guidance. Do not follow me." he said, before disappearing.

He climbed to the top of the tree, overlooking the forest. He sat on the uppermost branch & pulled from his pocket a small stone with the kanji for 'voice' on it. He closed his eyes & channelled chakra into it. When he opened his eyes, he was standing in a dark room.

"Gaara-kun?"

Gaara looked round & saw Madara standing in a doorway as if he was just about to leave. He came back in & closed the door.

"How is the communication stone?" he asked.

"It is weak, it requires quite a bit of chakra to use." Gaara replied.

Madara smirked.

"Well, when you wear the Akatsuki ring, you won't be required to use quite so much chakra. So how goes your mission?"

Gaara folded his arms.

"The situation has changed. when I attempted to abandoned my siblings, they refused to leave me & have decided to abandon Suna & follow me."

Madara's eyebrows raised.

"That is a surprise. You understand that we will have to interrogate them to make sure they aren't working undercover."

"Of course, but there is something else. We encountered Orochimaru."

"By 'encounter', I assume you haven't completed your mission."

Gaara looked away.

"He escaped. But he didn't take Sasuke-san."

Madara frowned.

"He didn't? What did he do then?"

"He placed a seal on him."

Madara's eyes widened.

"The curse seal! That must mean… Gaara! The situation has changed entirely! You will not seek to kill Orochimaru. You must protect Sasuke-kun!"

Gaara stared at his sensei.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"Orochimaru wants Sasuke-kun to join him willingly. Listen to me Gaara-kun. Sasuke-kun will eventually seek to join Orochimaru. You must delay this from happening until Orochimaru switches bodies. You must remain in Konoha until then. At some point I will come to you in person & give you further instructions, but until then you must make Sasuke-kun's hate for his brother grow. It is possible that Sasuke-kun will be instrumental to my our goal."

"Hai Madara-sensei."

Madara smiled.

"You have done well Gaara-kun. Once Sasuke-kun has joined Orochimaru, at the appropriate time, you may finally take your place by my side."

"Madara-sensei." Gaara said, bowing. He vanished from view.

"Soon, Gaara-kun." Madara whispered, "Soon you will know the truth."

* * * * *

Gaara rejoined his siblings. They were now seated on the same branch, with the pink haired girl sitting beside Sasuke & Naruto, who were still unconscious. Umibe was with them too, rocking back & forth.

"Hey Gaara-sama, how'd I do?" he asked.

Gaara smiled at Umibe.

"It was a little more sand than was necessary, but you did a great job."

Umibe looked very pleased.

"I have new orders." Gaara said, "I am to protect Sasuke-san at any cost."

Kankuro looked up at Gaara.

"Why the sudden change?" he asked.

"My master believes that Sasuke-san will be useful at a later stage. I will not say anymore right now."

The pink haired girl was staring intently at Gaara.

"You're going to protect Sasuke-kun?" she asked.

Gaara nodded. She smiled.

"Thank you." she said, "We haven't been introduced. My name's Haruno Sakura."

Gaara nodded at her.

"My name is Temari." she said, smiling at Sakura.

"Kankuro." he said, mock tipping his cap.

"I am Gaara." he said & patted the young sandworm's head, "This is Umibe."

Sasuke groaned. Everyone looked in his direction & Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder, looking worried. He settled.

"We had better move them closer to a water source." Gaara said, "Temari, how far is the river?"

"About a half a mile that way." Temari replied, pointing to her left.

"Right. We'll head there then." Gaara said. He summoned his sand beneath Naruto & Sasuke.

"What are you doing to them?" Sakura asked, looking worried.

"It's alright." Temari said, "He's just using his Sabaku Fuyū to carry them safely."

"Oh, sorry." Sakura mumbled to Gaara.

"It's fine, now lets go." Gaara said, moving out with Naruto & Sasuke floating on either side. It took them a few minutes to reach the river. When they got there, they found an indent in a pile of rocks which Gaara placed Naruto & Sasuke in. Sakura tore two pieces of cloth from her outfit & wet them in the nearby river. She then placed the pieces of cloth on the boy's foreheads.

"You rest here for now." Gaara told Sakura, "We'll check the area for enemies."

The sand siblings split off in three directions. Sakura was kneeling by Sasuke as he groaned & grabbed his neck.

"_Crack."_

"Huh?" Sakura wondered, looking around.

Gaara had finished his round & was on his way back when he heard Sakura scream. He ran to her & found the three Oto genin surrounding her. For some reason, most of her hair was on the ground. The invaders turned as they saw Gaara arrive, who folded his arms. By his side, Umibe appeared. Gaara glowered at the invaders.

"Sic 'em." he ordered.

Umibe dispersed & flew towards the female Oto. He hardened in the air & slammed into her head, instantly knocking her out. He then wrapped himself around the arms of guy with the hair & squeezed.

"AAAAGGGHHHH!!!" the boy screamed, as his arms broke in several places. He collapsed on the ground, unable to maintain balance. Umibe released him & turned to the bandaged Oto, growling.

"Wait!" the genin shouted, "We'll leave! Here, take our scroll, just let us live!"

He tossed his scroll through the air & Gaara caught it. He glanced at it before pocketing it.

"Get out of here." he ordered.

The boy nodded & picked up his comrades. As he turned to leave, he paused.

"The next time we meet, I will not surrender at any cost." he promised, before disappearing into the bushes.

Sakura was steadily rising to her feet, she looked strange with her hair now shortened.

"Thanks for- Sasuke-kun!" she cried.

Gaara whipped his head around & was met with a large fireball heading straight for him. Gaara easily blocked it with his sand. When he removed his guard, he saw Sasuke holding his neck, strange black markings covering his face.

"You-" Sasuke croaked, "What are you doing here?!"

"I see the effects are already starting to come into play." Gaara noted.

Sasuke blinked a few times.

"You… wait, you're." His eyes grew in size, his Sharingan active, "YOU!"

He ran at Gaara, pulling a kunai out of his pouch. He lunged, trying to slash at Gaara, but the sand wouldn't let him through. He then began forming hand signs.

"Sasuke-san, I wouldn't advise that, you are clearly out of chakra." Gaara said, but Sasuke wasn't listening.

"Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled, before taking a deep breath. He then held his hand up to his mouth & exhaled, the grand fireball spewing out.

"No!" Sakura cried, appearing between Gaara & the fireball.

"Sakura!" both Gaara & Sasuke cried out. Gaara threw the sand forward & immediately enveloped the fireball. Gaara groaned under the strain of holding it in there, but eventually the fire extinguished.

Sasuke was on his knees, the markings retreating towards his curse seal. Sakura hurried to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder, looking concerned.

"Sasuke-san." Gaara said.

Painfully, Sasuke rose his head to meet Gaara's gaze.

"What?" he spat out.

Gaara glared at him, "You should already know that a shinobi keeps his emotions in check."

"Like I care what you think." Sasuke growled.

"One more thing."

Gaara stopped glaring and his expression looked peaceful.

"Itachi-san says hello." Gaara told him.

Sasuke's eyes burst open as wide as they could, but before he could react, he lost consciousness again.

"Sakura-chan." Gaara said, "Your team mate will not be in a clear state of mind as long as I'm around. I will have to leave you for now, but I promise you, you will not be seeing Orochimaru anytime soon."

With that, Gaara left. A short distance away, Temari & Kankuro were waiting for him.

"So what do we do now?" Kankuro asked.

"We finish this exam." Gaara answered, "Lets go."

It didn't take them long to find someone with the scroll they were looking for, some idiot with an umbrella that fired senbon.

"You can make a rain of 1,000 needles." Gaara said, "I will make it rain blood."

The three geniuses were now dead & the sand siblings were headed towards the tower with both scrolls.

"Geez, after seeing what Orochimaru can do, this was kind of a drag." Kankuro complained, as they opened the tower door.

They were the first people there, the lights weren't even turned on.

"Pretty gloomy, huh?" Kankuro said, looking around the room.

"You two get some rest." Gaara ordered, taking a seat by a window out looking the forest.

As time passed by, Gaara didn't move from his position. Genin teams entered the building. But Sasuke's team was nowhere to be seen.

"_Where are they?" _Gaara wondered.

"Hey!"

Gaara glanced back. Tenten was standing a little way away, a hand on her hip, smiling.

"Not long now!" she said, eying Sasayaki, "How about we make a little wager? If I win our fight, you give me her."

Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow.

"And if I win?" he asked.

Tenten smiled coolly, giving Gaara a look.

"Then me & a friend of mine can maybe reward you."

Gaara grunted.

"You really are something, aren't you?" he said, annoyed, "You think Sasayaki's worth that little to me? For a one night stand? No deal."

Tenten hung her head.

"Well, I can't blame you for valuing her, but one day she will be mine!" she vowed, walking off with her head held high.

Gaara turned back to the window. The sun fell & rose again with still no sign of Sasuke. As he looked out the window, he saw Shikamaru's squad appear. In a couple of minutes, Shikamaru was sitting on the other side of the window.

"Man, you always know the best spots for a break." Shikamaru said, leaning back in his chair.

Gaara grinned, "I didn't expect to see you til the end of the exam."

Shikamaru shrugged.

"It was a drag, but now I've got a couple days rest til we move on to the next stage."

Gaara nodded in agreement. Behind him, the blonde girl was pacing back & forth.

"Where's Sasuke-kun? If those two are slowing him down!" she said angrily, & loudly.

Shikamaru looked at Gaara & smirked.

"Yes, all the women in this village are crazy." he said, answering Gaara's unasked question.

Gaara pointed with his thumb towards the Hyuuga girl, who was sitting quietly by herself.

"What about her?" he asked.

Shikamaru chuckled.

"You may have just picked out the one girl in this village that isn't troublesome." he replied, before leaning forward & whispering, "That's the kind of girl for me, one like Hinata-chan, one that isn't a bother."

He leaned back & cast another glance back at Hinata, smiling lightly.

"So what's the deal with your team mate?" Gaara asked.

"What Ino-chan?" Shikamaru groaned, "That is definitely the most troublesome woman in Konoha. What are the chances they would put _her_ on my squad?"

Gaara grinned, "We're all a victim of irony as soon as we say 'no way'."

Shikamaru laughed, "That's a good one. I'll have to remember that."

After a minute of silence, Shikamaru yawned & took a nap. Gaara watched as the moon rose over the trees. He decided to stretch his legs, so he walked around the building, glancing at the teams that had gotten through. So far all the Konoha teams were here, the exception being Sasuke's & the grey haired guy with the flash cards from the first exam. Aside from that, the only other was the Oto team that had attacked Sakura. They were keeping as far away from Gaara as possible. Gaara passed Kankuro & Tenten. Apparently Kankuro wasn't lying about the second-base thing. Not far away was Temari, who was busy being disgusted with the two.

Gaara returned to the window & spotted four unknown figures staggering through the woods. Well, three unknown figures. Naruto had a way of making his presence known.

"YEAH! WE MADE IT!" he yelled, before receiving a whack across the head from both his team mates.

On the fifth day, each team made their way to their respective room & opened their scroll. From the scroll, a Konoha chunin appeared.

"Congratulations on completing the second exam." she said, expressionlessly, "If you will now please follow me, the Hokage will give you your next instructions."

She turned away & headed for a door off to the side. Gaara & his siblings followed her into a large chamber with stairs leading to platforms on either side. Their was a stage at the opposite end of the hall with a statue of two hands forming a seal. Some of the genin were already standing in wait. At the stage, stood the Hokage and a sick-looking chunin.

Once everyone had taken their places, the Hokage spoke.

"Greetings to you all & congratulations on completing phase two of the chunin exams." the old man said, "Before we move on to the next stage-"

"Hokage-sama." the ill chunin interrupted, "Perhaps _I _should tell them this part."

"Of course." the Hokage replied, before turning back to the genin, "I leave you with Hayate-san."

Hayate stepped forward & keeled over in a fit of coughs.

"Shouldn't this guy be in hospital?" Temari muttered.

"Before we move on to the third stage of the chunin exams, we must hold a preliminary round." Hayate announced, "This is because there are too many of you who passed."

The genin didn't like the sound of this. Most of them were still recovering from the second exam.

"If there are any of you who feel you are not up to the challenge, you may leave now. Unlike the first & second exams, your team mates may remain."

The grey haired genin raised his hand.

"Sorry, I'm out." he announced, leaving.

"If you will all head up to the platforms, the screen will pick randomly which two shinobi will fight each other for their place in the third stage."

Reluctantly, all the genin moved up to the platforms and waited for the screen to announce the first combatants.

"Alright, the first two are… Akadou Yoroi & Uchiha Sasuke." Hayate said.

Gaara glanced at Sasuke. He looked like hell, the curse seal was still causing him pain.

"_Alright then." _Gaara thought, _"Lets see just how much that seal has affected you."_


	10. The remanants burnt away

Ok, this one's kinda boring. I just wanted to rush through the prelimineries, but it took up a whole chapter. This is going to take longer than I thought. BTW wouldn't it be cool if masashi did more individual stories like kakashi gaiden? i'd like to see a more detailed look on how nagato & konan went from yahiko's death to become 2 of the most dangerous criminals alive.

Disclaimer: I ain't got nuthin on Masashi.

**

* * *

**

The remnants burnt away

The fight between Sasuke & Yoroi was interesting. Yoroi seemed to be a chakra absorbing shinobi, which was a problem seeing as the cursed seal was affecting Sasuke's chakra. It didn't appear likely for the Uchiha to succeed.

But then he did something unexpected.

He disappeared.

"_What's he doing?" _Gaara thought.

Sasuke reappeared directly in front of Yoroi. He delivered a kick which sent him soaring through the air.

"That's my…!" Lee exclaimed, grabbing on to the rail.

"_I see." _Gaara thought, smirking, _"It's no surprise that he would copy another persons style. How unoriginal, Madara-sensei would be seething."_

Sasuke jumped up behind Yoroi & placed a finger on the small of his opponents back. But he hesitated. The strange markings were moving over his body. Gaara watched closely & grinned.

"Sasuke-san." Gaara said, "_He _never needed that kind of power."

Sasuke glared at Gaara, he could tell Sasuke really hated him. But Sasuke closed his eyes & concentrated. The markings began to recede. When they were gone, Sasuke smirked & finished his attack, slamming Yoroi into the ground.

"The winner is… Uchiha Sasuke." Hayate announced.

Sasuke shakily got to his feet. He looked down at the body of Yoroi & smirked. He then lifted his head & pointed to Gaara.

"How's that?" he asked, self righteously.

Gaara gave Sasuke a bored look.

"Mundane." he answered.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in anger, but before he could respond, he began to collapse. He didn't hit the ground, however. His jounin sensei caught him & carried him off. Temari looked at Gaara.

"Is it really necessary to agitate him like that?" she asked.

Gaara nodded, "We need him to seek power. To do that we must make him think he is weak, unable to achieve his goals. When the time is right, we will need him to be strong."

The next fight was Aburame Shino against Abumi Zaku.

"Man, I'd hate to have to fight that Aburame kid." Kankuro said, uneasily, "He doesn't take any prisoners, does he?"

When Shino was declared the winner & Zaku was carted off on a stretcher, Kankuro's name appeared on the screen alongside a Misumi Tsurugu. Kankuro smirked.

"Well, I'm up!" he said, heading down the stairs.

"Kankuro." Gaara called out.

"Yeah?"

"Prove yourself."

Kankuro grinned & gave a mock salute, before heading down to the fighting area. He faced his opponent with full confidence.

"Begin." Hayate said.

Kankuro reached behind him & removed his disguised puppet, holding it by his side.

Tsurugu dashed in Kankuro's direction, looking just as confident as his opponent. Kankuro didn't move an inch as Tsurugu grabbed him & twisted his limbs impossibly, constricting Kankuro.

"I suggest you surrender if you don't want me to crush every bone in your body." Tsurugu advised.

Kankuro smirked.

"I'm not giving up." he said.

"Very well. Then allow me to be your doom!" Tsurugu cried, squeezing.

Kankuro cracked, literally. Parts of his face fell off & hit the ground.

"What's going on?!" Naruto demanded, leaning over the rail.

The bandaged heap on the floor began to move. From the folds appeared a hand, which began unravelling the bandages. Kankuro climbed out of the heap, smirking.

"What?!" Tsurugu cried, turning to see what was in his arms, only to find himself face to face with Karasu.

"Now it's my turn!" Karasu cried in an inhuman voice. It wrapped its limbs around Tsurugu, who was frozen in shock.

"I can make your bones even softer, if you like." Kankuro taunted.

"I- I give up!" Tsurugu cried.

Kankuro sighed & released him, "What a waste of my time." he complained, heading back up to the platforms.

The next fight was between Sakura & Ino, although it wasn't much of a fight, they mostly trash talked & stared each other down. The fight ended in a tie as they knocked each other out.

"What the hell was that?!" both Temari & Tenten cried. They were both clearly angry about how pathetic the two were. It was fortunate then that both their names appeared on the screen.

"Hey, Temari!" Tenten called.

"Lets show them how real kunoichi fight!" Temari cried, jumping off the platform. Tenten followed suit & as they reached their positions, they faced each other confidently. Temari pulled out her fan.

"When all three stars are revealed, it's all over." Temari taunted.

Tenten rolled her eyes.

"There's no need for theatrics! Just stand there, look pretty & _try _not to lose too quickly, ok?" she replied.

Temari's face twitched in annoyance.

"Oh it's on!" she promised.

They both waited for a few seconds before turning to Hayate, brows raised.

"Oh, sorry!" Hayate said, embarrassedly, "Begin."

Tenten whipped out a scroll & summoned a large shuriken. She spun on the spot for a second before throwing it at Temari. The shuriken whistled through the air, but completely missed, embedding itself in the wall behind Temari, who hadn't moved an inch.

"When do I start trying?" Temari asked, smirking.

Tenten glared & decided to try something else. She began running around Temari, pulling out a summoning scroll & leaping high into the air. She unfurled the scroll & began spinning, the scroll spiralling around her. Weapons of all sorts appeared from nowhere, all thrown in Temari's direction. Kunai, scythes, flails, all sorts of weapons flew right at her, & every one of them missed. Now Temari was leaning her fan, one star revealed.

"You ready to give up yet?" she asked.

"Not even close!" Tenten replied, pulling out two scrolls with one hand.

"She's using 'that' already." her jounin sensei noted.

Temari laughed.

"No matter what you try, it's useless." she said, grinning.

Tenten placed the scrolls on the grounds & started forming hand signs.

"Soushouryu!" Tenten cried. Suddenly, smoke filled the arena, causing everyone watching to lose sight of the combatants. Two dragons of smoke burst into view, spiralling around each other. The smoke passed, showing the two dragons to, in fact, be the summoning scrolls.

Tenten leapt into the air & at an incredible speed, began summoning weapons & hurling them at Temari. Dozens of blades were flying at Temari, who chuckled.

"Even if you increase the numbers, it's the same." she said, giving a swing of her fan, "Second star!"

The blast of air was tremendous. All the projectiles were blown away, landing on the ground uselessly. Tenten landed on the ground, crouched.

"I'm not done!" she cried, leaping back into the air. With a flick of her wrists, all the weapons lifted into the air.

"What?!" Kankuro called out in shock, "She knows Kugutsu no Jutsu?!"

"No." Gaara said, eyes narrowing, "It's not the puppet technique. All her weapons have wires attached."

Kankuro blinked & looked closely.

"You're right." he breathed.

Tenten waved her hands & the weapons began flying again at Temari. Once more, Temari smirked & waved her fan, the gust not only scattering the weapons, but striking Tenten as well, who hit the ground, sliding.

Temari was now holding her fan behind her, looking serious. She smirked.

"Third star." she said.

She waved the fan in a circle in front of her, completely disappearing. Tenten looked around her warily, waiting for the upcoming attack.

"Where is she?" she wondered aloud.

"Here."

Tenten whipped her head around, Temari was kneeling on her fan as it soared through the air, eclipsing Tenten in its shadow. Temari leapt off her fan & caught it in one hand. She held it to her side, poised to attack.

"Ninpou Kamaitachi!" she cried, waving her fan straight at Tenten. A whirlwind flew straight at Tenten, who braced herself, only to be forced off her feet.

"Tenten!" Lee cried.

Tenten was frozen in the air, her screams not passing the roar of the wind as dozens of small cuts appeared on her skin. Slowly, she fell through the air, almost losing consciousness, only to be shocked back to full awareness as she landed on the tip of Temari's fan, her back bending at a dangerous angle. Tenten coughed up some blood, before passing out.

"How very boring." Temari noted.

"Fifth winner: Temari." Hayate announced. Temari smirked & tossed Tenten into the heap of weapons on the ground. At the last second, Lee appeared & caught her, placing her gently on the ground. Temari was grinning cruelly at Lee.

"Nice catch." she said. Lee looked furious.

"Why would you do that?!" he demanded, "Is that something you should do to someone who fought her hardest?!"

"Shut up." Temari replied, "Take that piece of trash & leave."

Lee growled & ran straight at her.

"Lee, stop!" Neji ordered, but was ignored.

"Konoha-" Lee cried, but his kick was blocked by Temari's fan.

"You're just how you look; you're stupid." Temari goaded.

"What did you say?" Lee asked angrily. His sensei appeared behind him.

"Stop, Lee." he ordered.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee exclaimed.

"Temari." Gaara said, "Get back up here. You won."

Gaara folded his arms.

"Stop dealing with the ugly guy & his guardian."

"What?" Lee growled, glaring at Gaara. His sensei put his hand on Lee's shoulder.

"Just let it go, Lee." he said, before smiling to himself, "Gentlemen from Suna, if I may warn you about one thing?"

He locked eyes with Gaara & Kankuro.

"He's strong. You better be prepared for it." with that, they returned to their places. Temari rejoined her brothers as well.

"Hey, did you have to beat her up so much?" Kankuro asked, "She's not gonna want to come near me anymore."

"Boo-freaking-hoo." Temari said, annoyed, "She wasn't even worth my time."

"It's not _your _time I care about!" Kankuro retorted.

"Shut up you two, the next fight was about to start." Gaara said, watching the screen.

Shikamaru & Tsuchi Kin were next. Gaara & Kankuro found the match pretty boring, but Temari was watching closely with interest.

Shikamaru looked uneasy. Judging from his face, Kin was using the bells on the senbon she had thrown, to cast a genjutsu on him. He fell to his knees & looked up at Kin. Temari tutted.

"Beat already?" she said, looking at Gaara, "I thought you said this guy was a genius?"

"He is." Gaara replied, "He's just taking his time. There's no way he's putting effort into a move if he isn't certain it's going to work."

Kin smirked.

"This is the end." she said, holding three senbon. She froze.

"What?" she breathed, "My body…"

Gaara glanced at Temari, grinning, "Like I said."

Shikamaru had used his shadow imitation jutsu. He had hidden it in the path of one of the senbon wires & moved from there to control Kin. Temari grinned.

"Not bad…" she replied.

As Shikamaru explained the effects of his technique, he reached into his shuriken pouch. As he did this, Kin was forced to move the same way, drawing a shuriken as well. Simultaneously, they threw their shuriken at each other, but at the last second, Shikamaru dodged backwards, the shuriken flying over him. However, when Kin dodged as well, her head struck the wall behind her, the shuriken just missing her head. She was unconscious.

"Ha-ha, one down!" he called, doing an uncharacteristic back flip, "Shinobi should always be aware of their surroundings."

"Winner… Nara Shikamaru." Hayate announced, as Shikamaru wandered back up to the platform.

Temari grinned maliciously, "I like this guy." she said.

"You're not his type; he likes quiet girls." Gaara replied, to which Temari scoffed.

"Not like that. I want to defeat him, see who's smarter." she said.

Gaara smirked, "He finished the first exam three seconds before you did."

"WHAT?!" Temari yelled, "That's it, he's going down!"

The screen lit up as the next combatants were announced.

"Inuzuka Kiba, Uzumaki Naruto, please step forward."

Their fight was a far more destructive than the rest, there were already several craters in the floor & walls.

"These guys lack subtlety," Gaara noted, "but they're making me look forward to my fight."

Kankuro chuckled.

"Heh, you'll show them real power, right?" he asked.

Gaara nodded. As he watched the fight go on, he noticed the remaining combatants kept glancing at him.

"_It looks like they're afraid." _he thought, _"That Aburame's team saw what I did to those grass ninja, they must have told the others about it."_

Kankuro laughed as Naruto defeated Kiba & Akamaru.

"Man, I wish it was my turn to fight again!" he said, "Nothing like watching a couple of hot-heads deck it out to get your blood pumping!"

Gaara had to agree; he was getting impatient. He looked up at the scoreboard, awaiting it's decision.

"_Damn it."_ he thought.

"Hyuuga Neji & Hyuuga Hinata." Hayate called.

All the leaf genin were looking at the two, clearly worried for them.

"Both of them are Hyuuga?" Temari thought out loud, "They're family?"

Neji calmly took his place, appearing to not care about who his opponent was. But Gaara saw through his façade.

"How strange." Gaara said, "He doesn't want to fight her, but at the same time, he does."

"He does, but doesn't?" Temari repeated, "You mean, he's got some kind of a grudge against her?"

Hinata nervously took her place as well.

"He knows she doesn't want to fight." Gaara said, studying the two, "He would rather face an opponent who will fight at full strength. However, there is some part of him that wishes to defeat her. Why?"

Gaara folded his arms.

"She is clearly lacking confidence in her abilities, so she must be weaker than him, so it can't be to prove his strength."

"Then what is it?" Kankuro asked.

"Misdirected anger. She probably represents someone else to him, he is trying to send a message to that someone by defeating her."

Gaara leant on the rail.

"I also see the loneliness in his eyes. That feeling is particularly strong right now. Whoever it is that he is angry at has caused him to lose someone close to him. By the looks of things, he intends to return the favour."

Temari was gaping at him.

"You got all that from one look?" she asked, before turning back to the pair, "I gotta say, Gaara, that's pretty impressive."

The two Hyuuga's stood silently for a moment. Even after the proctor told them to begin, they didn't move.

"H-hello b-brother." Hinata mumbled.

Temari gasped.

"He's her brother?!" she repeated, looking at Neji in horror, "Gaara, are you sure about what you said?"

"About what? Having the capacity to kill someone?" Gaara asked, "Besides, from what Shikamaru-san told me, they're more like cousins."

"Ah- right."

"Hello Hinata-sama. I didn't expect to be fighting you." Neji said.

Neji took an unusual fighting stance.

"Before we fight, let me warn you about one thing, Hinata-sama." he gave her a hard look, "Give up. You're not suited to become a ninja. You are too kind. You seek harmony & avoid trouble. And you just go along & follow someone else's idea."

Hinata looked away, shyly.

"And…"

Neji spoke a little louder, to make sure she heard.

"You have no self-confidence. You always feel inferior."

Kankuro grunted.

"Is this gonna be like Sakura-san's match?" he asked, "Are they just gonna talk?"

Gaara looked around at the spectators. As Neji criticised Hinata, he noticed Naruto grow steadily angrier.

"In other words, you know already…" Neji said, in his calmly aggressive way, "that you cannot change-"

"YOU CAN!" Naruto yelled, unable to control his temper any further.

Neji slowly looked up at Naruto, Hinata did so too, shakily.

"Don't label people just like that, you idiot!" Naruto clenched his fist, "Beat him up Hinata!"

Hinata's shaking slowed a little as she heard Naruto's encouragement.

"Hinata! Why don't you say something back?! It's making the people watching get angry!"

Hinata looked at the ground, breathing slowly. All of a sudden, she locked eyes with Neji, filled with new confidence.

"Not bad…" Temari said, "He's pretty good at rallying people, isn't he?"

"So you're not going to give up?" Neji asked, "Don't blame me later on."

They took on the same fighting stance, & charged. Kankuro furrowed his brow at what he saw.

"They're… poking each other?" he asked, looking surprised.

Temari turned to her younger brother.

"Gaara, you've fought a Hyuuga before, what are they doing?" she asked.

Gaara paused for a few seconds before answering simply.

"They're trying to block each others chakra points." he said.

Temari's eyebrows raised as she turned back to the fight. Sure enough, both of them appeared to be growing tired surprisingly quick. From what Gaara could see, Hinata was attacking & Neji was defending. Neji then grabbed Hinata's wrist.

"It's over." he said, smirking. He used his other arm to roll back Hinata's sleeve, revealing lots of small bruises all across her arm.

"Amazing." Temari breathed, "It looked like he was blocking, but he was actually taking advantage of her position."

Neji the pulled his arm back and struck Hinata at her heart. She gasped as she was pushed back several meters. Blood started to dribble down her chin. Neji resumed his stance & charged at Hinata.

But before he could reach her, all the Konoha jounin appeared, blocking his way.

"What is this?" Neji demanded, "The main household getting preferential treatment?"

"The match is over." the silver haired jounin told him, "There's no need to continue fighting."

Neji glared at the man, before standing down. Hinata was taken away on a stretcher. Suddenly, Naruto appeared on the floor, his eyes hidden from view.

"Hey you." he growled, "What makes you think you can attack someone like that, when they're already defeated?"

Neji met Naruto's glare, "And who exactly are you?"

Naruto held up his fist. He had been clenching it so hard, blood was dripping through his fingers.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto. And I swear, for Hinata-chan, I'll defeat you!" he vowed, anger seeping off him. His eyes even seemed to flash red for a second.

"Naruto-kun, return to the platform." his sensei ordered.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"Now."

Naruto shot one last glare at Neji before heading back to the platform. Neji made his way back up as well.

Kankuro looked around the remaining challengers.

"Not a lot to pick from, huh?" he said, distastefully, "There's that fat kid, the sound wimp & the green dude. Which one you want? Gaara?"

Kankuro looked to his little brother, who wasn't there. Sasayaki was lying against the railing.

"Huh?" Kankuro said, looking up at the scoreboard & grinning.

"Rock Lee & Gaara." he read, "Looks like he was even more pumped than I thought!"

Gaara stood at his place as Lee jumped down in front of him.

"Yes! It is my turn!" Lee yelled, "Gai-sensei, watch me!"

"I'm watching, Lee." Gai replied, giving a thumbs up.

Lee turned round to stare hard at Gaara, who looked blood thirsty.

"Match… begin!" Hayate announced.

Without hesitation, Lee ran at Gaara at an incredible speed. Gaara ran too, grinning sadistically. Gaara swiped the air with his arm, the sand copying his moves & flying straight at Lee, who dodged it & slashed with a kunai, causing the sand to disperse.

"You know what I love about hot heads like you?" Gaara asked.

"What is it?" Lee asked, dodging waves of sand.

"I love how you keep on fighting, even after I rip you arms off!" Gaara yelled, bringing both hands together, the sand flying at Lee from either side. Lee leapt up into the air, descending on Gaara. He spun vertically through the air, aiming a kick at Gaara's head, who made no attempt to dodge it as the sand shielded him.

"Such fire!" Gaara exclaimed, "I can feel it burning!"

Lee leapt off the sand shield & landed a distance from Gaara.

"Is that all you are capable of?" Gaara demanded, "Is your sensei a fool?"

Lee snapped.

"You can say what you like to me. But don't you ever insult Gai-sensei to my face!" Lee shouted.

"Lee!" Gai called, "Remove them!"

Lee gasped, "Are you sure, Gai-sensei?"

Gai responded with a grin & a thumbs up. Lee looked elated. He reached down to his leg warmers & removed them.

"It will be a relief to move without these!" he said, holding up a pair of weights. Gaara caught a gleam in Lee's eyes as he threw the weights into the air.

"Konoha Senpū!" Lee cried, kicking the weights at Gaara. Gaara looked unimpressed as he grabbed the weights with the sand.

"Sabaku Kyū!" he called, clenching his fist. As the sand dispersed, nothing was left of the weights but dust. Gaara wanted to see Lee's reaction, but he was gone.

Gaara whipped his head round as he heard the sand shield move behind him, but nothing was there. Again the sand moved behind him.

"_His speed is far greater than I imagined." _Gaara thought, _"It looks like I'll need to use _that_."_

Gaara formed a few hand signs before slamming his palms onto the ground.

Sand poured from the cracks in the floor. In a matter of seconds, the entire ground was covered in sand. Lee paused as the ground shook.

"Sabaku Uzumaki!" Gaara cried.

"Me?" Naruto repeated dumbly.

The sand started rotating, forming a whirlpool. Lee found his feet stuck in the sand as he was pulled towards the centre.

"What is this?" he cried, as he was spun around the sand.

Gaara stood in the centre of the whirlpool, a sadistic smile on his face. He lifted his arm, aiming at Lee, & clenched his hand into a fist. About six feet from Lee, the sand exploded. Gaara saw Lee's panicked expression & grinned further, clenching his fist again. The sand burst a little closer to Lee now.

"Is he trying to kill him?" Naruto asked Kakashi., who's eye was fixed on Gaara.

"It would appear to be the case." he replied.

"Lee! Use _those_!" Gai yelled.

"But Gai-sensei!" Lee exclaimed, "You said I should only use those to protect one's own 'way of the ninja'!"

"I know what I said, now do it!" Gai ordered.

"Hai, Gai-sensei!"

Suddenly the sand stopped. Lee looked surprised as he turned to face Gaara, who's grin had completely disappeared.

"Does that mean we're done with this game?" he asked, "Shall I start trying?"

Lee glared at Gaara.

"Your first mistake was insulting Gai-sensei." Lee said, slowly unwrapping the bandages around his arms, "Your second mistake was not apologizing afterwards! But your fatal mistake was underestimating the power of my taijutsu!"

Lee crossed his arms and began a battle cry.

"AaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhhAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!" he screamed, his skin darkening to a reddish colour and chakra enveloping his body.

"SEIMON!" he cried., before vanishing into the air.

"_What?!"_ Gaara thought, as Lee appeared before him & delivered a kick so fast, the sand couldn't protect him in time. Gaara was thrown into the air, slightly dazed as he sensed Lee appear behind him. He was kicked again through the air, only to meet the same end as he flew again.

This went on for several seconds, although it felt like longer. Lee ended the move by binding Gaara with his bandages & performing a pile driver he called…

"URA RENGE!"

Together, they crashed into the ground. Dust & sand billowed everywhere, completely obscuring the hall. When the dust settled, Lee lay in the crater, sand latched onto him. Gaara was standing several feet away, unscathed. Under Lee was the remnants of a sand clone.

"I apologise, Lee-san." Gaara said, "But there is no way to finish this match without ending it like this."

He furrowed his brow.

"Sabaku Kyū!" he cried.

The sand around Lee's legs caved in. Lee screamed in pain, as the bones in his legs were shattered. Gaara removed the sand & turned to make his way back to the platform. But he sensed something. Turning back, he realized Lee was standing shakily, the pain going unnoticed. But something wasn't right. Lee was unconscious.

"Proctor, Lee-san is unconscious. Surely this fight cannot continue?" Gaara asked.

Hayate coughed, "As long as the combatant is able to fight, the match goes on."

Gaara growled. He turned back to face Lee, who had resumed his combat stance.

"Then I have no choice." he said, sending all his sand to strike Lee. But his attack never connected. Gai blocked it.

"This match is over." Gai said to the proctor, but glaring at Gaara, who nodded, before returning to the platform to Temari & Kankuro.

"Lets go." he said, "There's no longer any need for us to be here."

Temari glanced at Baki, who nodded.

"That's fine." he said, "I will give you the details later."

Gaara nodded, picked up Sasayaki & the three of them left.

"Wow, you know, for a second there I really believed you were enjoying that!" Kankuro said, hands behind his head.

"Yeah, did you really have to be that scary?" Temari asked.

"It would appear I still had a bit of sadism left in me. Luckily, that fight seems to have finished it. I should be clear headed from now on."

Kankuro nodded, "So now what?"

"You two prepare for the third stage of the exam, I'll make sure Sasuke-san isn't slacking." Gaara answered.

* * * * *

Orochimaru stood on the rooftop of the tower, watching Gaara & his siblings as they left. He smirked.

"Well done, Gaara-kun." he said, "I look forward to your next match."

He chuckled to himself as he sunk through the roof.

"Until then."


	11. A change of heart

Woo fastest update yet. pulled another all-nighter on this one. sleep is overated. hopefully this one is better than the last one, that was't great.

**Disclaimer: (classic Iron Man theme) Na, ru, to's-not-mine! Na, ru, to's-not-mine! **

* * *

A change of heart

The hospital was quiet. Deathly, quiet. Gaara stalked the halls, seeking a certain someone. He had noticed Sakura was inside as well. But instead of greeting her, he avoided her. He didn't want anyone to know he was here. He headed to reception, where no-one was stationed, just like the rest of the hospital. Gaara glanced at the room chart & found what he was looking for.

"_So that's where you are." _he thought, heading towards the stairs.

He climbed them silently, aware that about now, Sakura would be reaching reception. He decided to hurry.

He found the correct floor & stepped out into the hallway. The lights were off, but the setting sun lit up the hall eerily. Gaara walked down it purposefully, the look on his face revealing nothing more than determination. He arrived at the correct door & gently slid it open, closing it quietly behind him.

In the room, Rock Lee lay asleep in his bed. He was heavily bandaged from the wounds he had sustained from Gaara's fight & some new ones. Gaara glanced at the withering flower in the vase. He had seen Sakura with a flower just like that. He didn't have much time.

He stared at Lee, fully aware of the impact his actions had made on the boy. He closed his eyes for a second, before opening them again.

"Lee-san." he said to the unconscious boy, "I am sorry for what I have done to you. I recognised the pain in your eyes, but I still had some anger left in me I could not control."

He shook his head.

"That's no excuse. My lack of self control nearly killed you. I suppose in a way, I _have _killed you. In the past, I could justify my killing of others as my proving my own existence, but what was I proving here? I can see that you have worked very hard to become as strong as you are now."

Gaara stared at his own right hand.

"But I didn't work for my power. I took it from another. I want you to understand something. My 'victory' was not a reflection of my abilities. I couldn't afford to lose. You are by far the better shinobi. You always will be. I can only hope that one day you will forgive me for what I have done."

Lee didn't show any signs of having heard what he said. He lay absolutely still. A fly flew in from the window & landed on his nose. Gaara frowned & reached forward to swat the fly away, but found he couldn't move.

"Stay right there." Shikamaru said, hands forming his shadow imitation jutsu.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Naruto demanded, looking at Gaara angrily.

"Shikamaru-san, Naruto-san, I had hoped not to be interrupted." Gaara said, expressionlessly.

"You already crippled him, wasn't that enough?" Shikamaru demanded.

"You don't understand-"

"Like hell we don't!" Naruto interrupted, throwing a punch at Gaara's face. The sand blocked the attack, but Gaara felt the sting anyway.

"I see…" he said, "So that's the way things are."

He sighed.

"Shikamaru-san, the first time we met, you asked if I was 'some kinda crazy manic killer'. Did I really seem that way?"

Shikamaru flinched at Gaara's words.

"No, I guess not." he admitted, his stance slacking slightly.

"And Naruto-san, I believed you would understand better than anyone what it's like to be misunderstood, to be treated as a 'demon'."

"That's different! I saw the way you acted towards Lee! You tormented him & took away the one thing in his life that mattered to him!"

Gaara's eyes dropped to the floor.

"I know. Now I have to live with that knowledge forever. Naruto-san, I beg you to understand, would you let anything stand in the way of your dreams?"

Naruto's eyes showed that he was unsure about what decision to make. Gaara sighed again.

"I know what you must think of me. I have hurt & tormented two of your friends without showing any reason why. That is where you & I differ, Naruto-san. You are strong enough to control your demon, I can only slow mine down. Both you & Lee are much stronger than I am, but there is a reason I won't lose. I made a promise to someone that I would help him achieve his dreams. I do not intend to bend or break my words. But I will make another promise; if there is any way to reverse the damage I have done, I will gladly do it."Naruto seemed to consider him for a few moments. Gaara was unsure of what his decision would be, but then Naruto dropped his fists & stood up straight.

"Alright." he said, giving Gaara a hard stare, "I believe you."

Gaara came close to smiling, but reserved himself.

"Thank you Naruto-san." Gaara said.

"Hey, one thing though." Naruto added, rubbing the back of his head, "Enough with the 'san', I'm not a 'mister'."

Gaara grinned.

"Very well… Naruto-kun." he said.

Shikamaru grinned & released his technique.

"I guess the same applies for me." he said.

Gaara bowed his head.

"Then allow me to finish the motion." he said, his grin broader.

Shikamaru chuckled, "Alright, lets get outta here, it'd be a drag if Gai-sensei came in & lectured us about how Lee-san needs his rest."

Naruto nodded & the three of them left together. Gaara cast one last glance at Lee before closing the door.

* * * * *

The three of them left the hospital together. They wandered through the streets of Konoha, not really heading anywhere, yet somehow finding their way to the ramen stand Gaara saw when he first arrived.

"Well, I'm hungry, who's buying?" Naruto asked.

"You are." Shikamaru answered, leaving, "You coming Gaara?"

Gaara looked at Naruto, "See you later."

"Aw come on!" Naruto pleaded, but the other two were gone.

Gaara caught up with Shikamaru, who looked like he was sleep walking.

"So how goes your training for tomorrow?" Gaara asked.

Shikamaru smirked, "What training?"

Gaara grinned, "You know, my sister has made it a personal goal to defeat you in the exams."

"Tch, troublesome." Shikamaru mumbled, "So what's the deal with you & the Uchiha? He's been in an even worse mood since the preliminaries."

Gaara shrugged.

"He overuses that Sharingan." he replied, "Without it, he wouldn't be any where near what he is now."

"Yeah, but we all play to our strengths, right?"

Gaara nodded in agreement, Shikamaru groaned.

"Hey, I've got an errand to run, catch you later." he said, turning back.

"Alright." Gaara replied, walking on. He headed back to the hotel, where Temari & Kankuro were awaiting him.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Temari asked.

Gaara sat back on the armchair, the gourd & Sasayaki removed. He looked straight out the window.

"It didn't exactly work out. He was asleep, but I said what I had to anyway."

He glanced over to Kankuro, who was sitting in the corner, making it very obvious that he was not talking to Temari.

"You still moping?" Gaara asked. He had been like this for a while now.

"She still won't talk to me!" Kankuro complained, causing Temari to groan.

"If she's still whining, then she's obviously just a kid in a kunoichi's clothing." she remarked.

"Kankuro, she'll get over it." Gaara said, "It's just that Temari beat her so bad, her pride is hurt. The worst thing you could do is to cling to her. It's best to let her get over it."

Kankuro looked uncertain.

"You sure?" he asked.

Gaara shrugged, "If it helps, I could make Temari admit that Tenten-san put up a good fight."

Temari looked horrified, "No way am I doing that!"

Gaara stared at her for a few seconds, before she averted her gaze.

"Alright, fine!" she said, getting up, "Lets go, cry-baby!"

Kankuro leapt to his feet.

"You are a god, Gaara!" he exclaimed, running out the door.

Gaara sighed & turned on the armchair, so he was lying across it. He stared up at the ceiling & sighed.

"_I'd better report to Madara-sensei." _he thought, reaching for his communication stone. He clenched it in his hand & closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was standing in the same room as before, but Madara was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello?"

Gaara turned around & saw a face he hadn't seen in years. Konan was sitting on a sofa, a map spread out on the table in front of her.

"Konan-hime!" Gaara said in surprise.

"Konan-hi…" Konan repeated, furrowing her brow. Recognition dawned on her face, "Gaara-kun?"

Gaara smiled & nodded. He stepped over to her to get a better look. She was just as beautiful as last time.

"Wow." she said, looking Gaara up & down, "You've grown a lot since last time."

Gaara took a seat next to her, "How are things?" he asked, still not believing it was her.

Konan sighed & looked at the map.

"A pain. We've been trying to locate this guy, but he doesn't stay in one place too long & his movements are erratic. He doesn't seem to have a destination."

Gaara leaned forward, "Is this guy a Jinchūriki?"

Konan shook her head, "It's someone Pein wants to recruit, a guy called Hidan. He thinks that he may be the ideal partner for Kakuzu-san. One that he can't kill."

Gaara looked surprised, "An immortal?"

Konan nodded, "So how's you're mission going? Have you found Orochimaru yet?"

Gaara frowned.

"Madara-sensei changed my orders." he replied, "He told me to protect Sasuke-san until Orochimaru makes his next body transfer. Then I am to allow him to go to Orochimaru."

It was Konan's turn to frown.

"I haven't heard anything about that." she said, "He told us you were on Orochimaru's trail."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, but I'll ask Pein about it later. Maybe he knows something I don't."

"Ok."

They sat there in silence for a while before Konan blinked.

"So… why are you here?" she asked.

"I was going to report to Madara-sensei, but it doesn't seem he's here."

Konan folded away the map and stared at Gaara.

"Yeah? So how's it going?" she asked.

Gaara sat back & returned Konan's stare.

"Hatake Kakashi seems to have adapted the curse seal on Sasuke-san." he replied, "It now responds to his willpower. If he loses faith in his abilities, it will take over. I aim to convince him that he needs the curse seal to become powerful enough to face Itachi-san. So far, Sasuke-san feels hatred towards him & myself, but it is not enough. The third stage of the chunin exam is tomorrow. I will have to humiliate Sasuke-san in my match against him."

Konan edged a little closer to Gaara.

"You don't like doing this sort of thing, do you?" she asked.

Gaara shook his head.

"I hate causing someone anguish like this. Sasuke-san has suffered greatly & all I am doing is making him suffer more. But Madara-sensei requested it of me. I will not let him down."

He looked at Konan, "What about you? You still mad at Nagato?"

Konan flinched slightly, before nodding.

"If I could just get Yahiko's body away from him-" she stopped abruptly, looking at Gaara with fear in her eyes.

"It's ok." Gaara said, "I wouldn't betray you like that."

Konan looked unsure, "Why would you protect me?"

Gaara turned so he was face to face with her.

"I recognise your pain, & your loneliness. I don't ever want someone close to me to feel that."

"Someone close to you…" she repeated, "But we haven't seen each other in years, & even then it was only for a couple of days. You consider me someone close to you?"

Gaara reached forward with a holographic hand & touched her cheek.

"Yes." he said, in a strong voice, "I feel like you are someone precious to me."

A tear slid down Konan's cheek, passing through Gaara's finger. He looked at his hand.

"I hope I can complete my mission soon." he said, "That way we can meet again, in person."

"Gaara-"

Gaara glanced to his right.

"I have to go." he said, "I'll see you soon."

His image crackled into nothingness. Konan smiled.

"I hope so." she whispered.

* * * * *

Baki entered the hotel room. He noticed that Gaara was the only person there. He grinned.

"You ready for tomorrow?" he asked, "It's your big day."

Gaara didn't answer. He got up & left.

He knew where he was headed. He had time for one last move before 'his big day' as that idiot had put it. He found who he was looking for & used his Daisan no Me to spy on Sasuke & Kakashi training. Sasuke was bent over, breathing heavily.

"So two is your limit?" Kakashi noted.

"What happens if I try to use it again?" Sasuke asked.

"Best case scenario, it fails. Worst case, you die." Kakashi replied simply, before calling out, "You can come out now!"

Gaara cancelled the jutsu & came out from his hiding place. Sasuke glared as soon as he saw him.

"What do _you_ want?" he demanded.

"Sasuke-san." Gaara said, "Tomorrow we will have our match. You had better not disappoint me."

Sasuke smirked, "Don't worry, you won't be."

"Good. My master would be disappointed if you prove to be nothing but a weakling with the Sharingan." Gaara replied.

"The way you speak," Kakashi stepped in, "You make it sound like this is less than a friendly competition. You make it sound like you're on a mission to defeat Sasuke-kun."

Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"What sort of mission would require me to defeat an insignificant genin?" he asked.

Kakashi nodded.

"Alright then, if that's all you have to say, then be on your way." he said.

Gaara turned away.

"Wait."

Gaara glanced back. Sasuke had spoken.

"Why do you refuse to tell me anything about Itachi?" he asked, "What do you care if I know?"

"If you are as powerful as you delude yourself to be, then what does it matter if you have to defeat me to get your answers?"

Gaara smirked, "Unless you don't think you're strong enough on your own?"

Sasuke didn't seem able to reply, so Gaara left.

"_Tomorrow." _he thought. _"We will see."_

* * * * *

On his way back, Gaara noticed Tenten & Kankuro walking through the streets. He made to walk past them, but Tenten called out to him.

"Hey!" she said, smiling, "You ready for tomorrow? I'll be watching."

Gaara didn't stop walking, but he gave her a look.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy what I have planned then." he replied, causing Tenten to gasp.

"You mean…" she breathed.

Gaara was ahead of them now. He gave his answer in the form of a small wave.

Gaara decided that night that he would pay Sasuke another visit. He made his way over to the Uchiha compound.

The place was very different from what he saw in his fight with Itachi. It was run-down. Gaara took a seat on one of the roofs & waited. It wasn't long before Sasuke walked through the main gates & spotted Gaara.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Gaara raised his hand in the air, showing he didn't want a conflict.

"I want you to tell me about how Itachi-san used to be." Gaara said.

Sasuke glared, "And why should I tell you that?

"An eye for an eye. You answer my question & I'll answer one of yours."

Sasuke frowned, "What about our match?"

"I think my answer will be incentive for you to fight even harder tomorrow. Now, what was he like?"

Sasuke diverted his gave, throwing a dirty look at an abandoned store. After a few seconds, however, his angry look faded away.

"He was the prodigal son of the Uchiha. By this age, he was already an ANBU captain. I aspired to be like him, but no matter how I tried, I could never match up. But he always encouraged me. I was determined to surpass him. He was there for me when our father wasn't. All _he _cared about was how Itachi could make the Uchiha clan great again. But as far as he was concerned, I was a failure. Itachi never let me think that way. I thought I could always rely on him."

Suddenly his expression darkened.

"Until _that_ night." he said through gritted teeth.

Gaara nodded.

"Alright, your turn." he said, "But choose carefully."

Sasuke locked eyes with Gaara.

"What do _you_ know about that night?" he asked, his full attention on Gaara, who slid off the roof & faced Sasuke.

"I met him that night." he said.

Sasuke looked shocked.

"My master ordered me to bring Itachi-san to his subordinates, but initially he refused. So I fought him."

Sasuke's eyes snapped wide open.

"You _fought _him?" he repeated.

"Yes, & I defeated him."

Sasuke glared, "You're lying."

"I'm not. He used his Mangekyo Sharingan to place me under the Tsukuyomi. But I reversed the effects & trapped him in his own technique."

Gaara looked around the street they were standing in.

"It happened right here." he said, "You were begging for your life. Itachi told you to run, cling to life & seek him when you had the same eyes."

Sasuke was frozen to the spot.

"I- it's true. You fought him." he whispered.

Gaara walked up to Sasuke & stood next to him.

"I defeated him too." he said, very aware of Sasuke's trembling, "That is why I hope you put up a better fight than he did. Maybe _you _can entertain me."

Gaara walked away. As he was leaving the gates, he left one final message.

"Next time, you should ask me _why_ he did it." he said.

* * * * *

Gaara lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. The others were asleep, getting their rest for later. Gaara was feeling particularly comfortable right now, aware of that his mission was not far from over. He smiled as he thought of Konan. She still held that same sway over Gaara's mind, he never could figure out why.

"_Why do you occupy my thoughts?"_ he thought, _"You strange, beautiful person."_

Gaara sensed something. His communication stone was reacting. He grabbed it & focused his chakra.

"Gaara!"

Gaara opened his eyes. Madara stood before him, looking unsettled.

"Madara-sensei?" Gaara asked, frowning.

"Things have changed. I am coming to you tomorrow."

"You're coming here? Why?"

"I can't explain right now. The situation has changed entirely. Gaara! Do not wound Sasuke-kun any more than you have to! We are definitely going to need him."

"Madara-sensei-"

"There's no time! I'll see you tomorrow."

Madara disappeared.

Morning came quicker than Gaara would have liked. He hadn't even realised he had been dreading it, he'd been too busy thinking about Madara's words.

"_He's coming here?" _he thought, frowning, _"What happened back there?"_

The door behind him opened. Out came Temari, fully dressed, but yawning. She paused as she saw Gaara's agitated look.

"What is it?" she asked.

Gaara shook his head, glancing at Baki's door. Temari nodded & sat beside him. She looked at him with concern, but his eyes were fixed to the ground, he didn't notice her gaze.

Kankuro exited his room next, fully equipped like Temari.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked, eying Gaara. Temari shrugged.

Gaara got to his feet. He strapped his gourd & Sasayaki back on.

"Lets go." he said, opening the door & leaving. His siblings left after exchanging a look.

They were walking through the streets, heading towards the arena. Gaara was walking a little quicker than usual.

"My master is coming." he said.

"What? Here? Now?" Temari asked, shocked.

"It sounded like something big. He said the situation has changed entirely."

"What situation?" Kankuro asked. Gaara shrugged.

"He didn't say."

Temari stepped in front of Gaara, stopping him in his tracks. She placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Alright, you need to calm down. You need a clear head." she said.

Gaara nodded & took a deep breath. After a few seconds, he seemed to relax.

"Thanks." he said.

"No problem." Temari replied, smiling.

They continued walking to the arena, slower this time. They noticed that people from all over were starting to head there too. They even spotted Neji making his way over.

"Heh, that guy shouldn't be a problem." Kankuro said, "None of us have to get anywhere near him."

"Listen," Gaara said, "Baki told you not to fight, but go for it. I have an idea that requires you to make a good impression."

"Alright." Kankuro replied, "But when I step into the arena, Baki's gonna get suspicious."

"He'll be too preoccupied with the attack to do anything." Temari interjected, "There's nothing he could do about it."

They reached the arena & stepped inside. It was huge, much bigger than the hall at the preliminaries. Neji, Dosu & Shino were already waiting in the centre, along with the proctor. The three of them took their places in the centre & awaited the rest of the combatants. Shikamaru was next to turn up, wandering in like he was just going for a walk. A little while later, Naruto burst in, yelling for everyone to watch out. The only person who hadn't turned up was Sasuke.

When the members of the audience had taken their seats, the Hokage stood & gave a small speech. Then Genma showed the genin a sheet of paper with the order of fights on it. Naruto & Neji were first, so the others made their way to the viewing area. When Gaara and his siblings got there, Gaara leaned against the back wall, in the shadows.

"Hey, Gaara. You're not gonna watch?" Temari asked.

He shook his head, "I have to watch out for my master, I don't know when he's going to show up. Besides, Uzumaki is going to win."

Gaara scanned the crowds for anything unusual. So far, the only strange thing was the number of ANBU in the area. Konoha probably knew they were going to be attacked, or maybe they were aware of Orochimaru's presence.

Either way, it looked unlikely that Madara would appear here. Carefully, Gaara grabbed his stone & closed his eyes. He was back in the room. But he wasn't alone. Pein was there.

"Gaara-san." Pein said, not at all surprised by his sudden appearance, "It would appear your master is on his way to you."

Gaara nodded.

"That is what he said." he replied.

"Gaara-san, I'm afraid Madara has betrayed Akatsuki. He has had a change of heart & has left."

Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"But he is the leader of Akatsuki, why would he betray his own organization?"

"Because he felt he was losing control. You have to understand, Gaara-san. Madara's immortality has caused his mind to slip. He has lived for far too long."

"I see."

Pein took a step forward.

"Remember, Gaara-san, Madara's aim was to make his clan powerful. That was his goal that insanity made him forget. The dream he left with you. So for the sake of your master's dream, when he comes for you, stall him. Will you do that?"

"I will." Gaara replied, without hesitation.

Pein studied him for a sec on before nodding,

"Alright, we'll see how loyal you are to Akatsuki." he said, leaving.

Gaara watched as Pein closed the door behind him. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"_Madara-sensei," _he thought, _"What are you doing?"_


	12. A whisper of lies

Now things get interesting. I wonder what will happen next? I'm not teasing, i seriously don't have a clue. i'm making this up as i go along. planning. is. boring.

**Discalimer: (We will rock you.) Na-ru-to-is not mine! Na-ru-to-is not mine!**

* * *

A whisper of lies

There was silence as Naruto defeated Neji. The Hyuuga had underestimated his opponent, & had failed to spot Naruto's trick.

"Looks like you were right." Kankuro noted. Gaara stepped forward as Naruto spoke to Neji, who was barely able to move.

"What you mean by destiny is that people can't change, well you're wrong." he said, "You can change. Cos unlike me, you're not a failure."

Neji was carted away & Naruto looked at the crowd, who were all staring at him in awe. Naruto looked worried, for a second. But then the audience cheered. He rubbed his nose, smiling nervously. He was unaccustomed to this kind of attention. He soon got used to it.

"Alright! I won!" he yelled, jumping in the air.

Gaara watched as Naruto did a victory lap. He grinned as the fox-boy blew kisses into the crowd shamelessly. It took Genma ordering Naruto to get out of the arena for the boy to stop his round. When he reached the viewing area, he was met by Shikamaru.

"Not bad, Naruto-kun." Shikamaru said, grinning, "You even had me fooled for a minute."

"Thanks." Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head, grinning.

He spotted Gaara in the shadows & walked over to him.

"Hey Gaara, how'd I do?" he asked.

Gaara smirked, "Exactly as I expected you to."

Naruto blinked, before grinning again.

"I can't wait for the next match!" he said, "Uh… who is it again?"

Gaara smiled to himself. Naruto was unpredictable, but still an idiot. But his smile dropped as he remembered.

"It should be me & Sasuke-san next, but he hasn't shown up yet." he said.

"WHAT?!" Naruto yelled, "He still isn't here?!"

Genma called something out, but neither of them heard it.

"Temari," Gaara said, "What is he saying?"

Temari turned to Gaara, eyes wide.

"They're postponing your match, it's Kankuro & the Aburame now." she replied.

Gaara nodded. Good. They hadn't disqualified Sasuke. He knew he'd be here, but that didn't stop him growing uneasy.

Kankuro didn't look pleased with his pairing, but he stepped down to the arena anyway. Shino walked after him, apparently unfazed that his match was early.

As they both turned to face each other, the two looked very serious. Kankuro could not lose, the determination on his face was unlike anything he ever had before. Gaara decided he would watch this fight.

"Alright, you two ready?" Genma asked, looking from one to the other. Neither took their eyes of their opponent, "Begin."

Kankuro pulled out his hidden puppet. Shino didn't move, but insects crawled out from his sleeve's & collar, covering his skin. The insects then took flight, forming in the air in a way not unlike Gaara's sand.

"_Good." _Gaara thought, _"In that case, Kankuro may be able to predict his movements."_

Unlike his last match, Kankuro unwrapped the bandages, revealing the limp form of Karasu. Shino knew of his replacement technique, he wouldn't fall for it here. Kankuro moved his hands into position & created his chakra strings. Karasu burst into life, flying through the air, making its clicking sound. It finished by perching on Kankuro's shoulder, much like a crow.

"Lets do this." Kankuro said, smirking.

Karasu flew off his shoulder, heading straight for Shino, who dodged to his left, sending a wave of insects after Kankuro.

"He's not going for the puppet, he's going for the puppeteer!" Temari exclaimed.

Kankuro's eyes widened as the swarm of insects neared him.

"Kikaichū no Jutsu!" Shino called, & the insects attacked.

They swarmed around Kankuro until he was completely hidden from view. When the insects moved away, there was nothing left.

"No…" Temari breathed, eyes watering.

Gaara nudged Temari & pointed towards the arena. Temari blinked and looked at Karasu, who was still floating in the air. She slapped herself.

"Of course, it was a Bunshin!" she exclaimed, irritated for not realizing it before embarrassing herself.

Shino looked around the field for his opponent, but couldn't see him anywhere. He looked at Karasu, who was flying high in the air, circling Shino.

Again, he looked for the source of the chakra strings, but he couldn't see them. Frowning, he sent a wave of his insects to the puppet. They attacked it, but from the swarm, a crow fell to the ground. Shino whipped his head around the arena, alarmed. He barely had time to dodge as Karasu fired senbon from his arms. One of the senbon nicked his leg. When Shino landed on the ground, his leg gave way. He looked at his wound & saw a thin liquid mingling with his blood. He froze.

Kankuro jumped down from the tree he had been hiding in, a victorious smirk on his face.

"You've got Karasu's poison in you now." he said, "Soon your organs will shut down & you'll die. Painfully. So as a mercy, I'll kill you now."

Kankuro twitched his fingers in a pattern. Karasu revealed many blades hidden in his limbs, body & mouth. The puppet flew directly above Shino, spread out, & fell through the air.

But when it landed on Shino, something strange happened. Shino disappeared in a cloud of black. The insect cloud then surrounded Karasu & blocked it's joints. Kankuro felt a kunai pressed against the back of his neck.

"You've lost." Shino said, "You were so confident in your own abilities that you failed to see mine. That is why you-"

"Heh heh heh. To think I was impressed with your abilities at the preliminaries. What _you_ failed to see is that I have spent most of my life alongside someone who fights in almost _exactly_ the same way you do."

Shino frowned.

"You're puppet is disabled & you are still confident in your victory?" he asked.

Kankuro grinned, "What makes you think I have only one puppet?"

Shino felt a sharp pain in his back. He whipped his head around & saw a tiny puppet. It wasn't much, it looked like a poorly crafted children's toy, except for the fact that it's right arm was replaced with a kunai. A kunai that had both a purple liquid & Shino's blood on it.

"I would like you to meet Omocha." as Kankuro said this, the fragile puppet fell apart, "It looks like that was his last run. Omocha was my attempt at making my own puppet. Needless to say, it didn't prove very successful."

Shino collapsed on the ground, unable to control his own body.

"But… how could I not sense the chakra in it?" Shino asked, a look of disbelief on his face. Kankuro sighed.

"Omocha was the first & only puppet I have ever made." he explained, "I made him for recon missions, so you don't have to worry about the poison; it's only a sedative. After creating him, I found out that I still needed a lot of training in Kugutsu no jutsu before I attempt making my own. You see, the problem with Omocha is that he nearly completely rejects chakra. I made him with chakra repellent material, hoping that enemy jutsu would be ineffective on it. But all I did was make it damn near impossible to control. Even there, I was aiming for your neck, but all Omocha could manage was the small of your back. I had to force a lot of my chakra just to do that, & now he overloaded & collapsed. Now he's just firewood."

Genma walked over to the two. He looked down at Shino and raised Kankuro's hand into the air.

"The victor, Kankuro!" he called.

The cheers weren't nearly as loud as the ones Naruto received, but Kankuro wasn't looking at the audience. He looked up at Gaara, wanting to see his reaction. He found Gaara's face & stared at him questioningly. Gaara smiled & nodded at him. Kankuro threw his other fist into the air.

"Yeah!" he yelled, unable to hold his grin., "Woo! I won!"

He made his way towards the stairway to viewing area, whooping & waving at the crowd. Gaara tilted his head towards Temari.

"Why was he waiting for my reaction?" he asked.

Temari was smiling & waving at Kankuro as he came closer.

"All his life he has lived in our shadows." she answered, "He wasn't so concerned about me, because I was the older one & that was how it was supposed to be. But he hated being in your shadow. He felt it was his responsibility to be like your mentor to being a shinobi, like I was for him. But you never needed him, & it hurt. For years now, he's felt useless. Now all he wants is some form of recognition from you. It's his dream for you to acknowledge him, maybe even admire him."

Gaara looked to Kankuro, who was just coming into the room.

"He wants me to admire him?"

"More than anything in the world." Temari replied, before stepping forward to Kankuro.

Kankuro grinned at her & held out his hand. Temari grinned too as she held her hand out.

"Tag out." Kankuro said, slapping her hand. Temari headed down to the arena. Shikamaru was already down there, courtesy of Naruto.

Kankuro stood next to Gaara as they watched the match start.

"Hey, good match." Gaara said, keeping his eyes on the fight. Kankuro looked at Gaara, blinking.

"You think so?" he asked, stunned by his little brother's praise.

"Yeah, you did excellently."

Kankuro couldn't help but smile at Gaara's words. It was a strange feeling. He was used to grinning or smirking, but never really smiling. Gaara looked down at his right hand.

"I can tell you worked very hard to get where you are." he said, "Your just like Lee-san. I was given my powers, I didn't have to work for them at all. I wish I had an ounce of your strength."

Kankuro didn't know what to say. What _could_ he say?

"Well…" he replied, deciding to try, "There's no such thing as free power, right? The Shukaku, or whatever it is inside you, put you on a path that I thought you couldn't come back from. But you defeated it, a force that was inside your own body. Your strength of will is beyond what I believed possible."

Gaara smiled.

"…Thanks, bro." he said, quietly.

Kankuro was speechless.

"A-anytime." he said, gaping slightly.

Gaara watched as Temari dodged Shikamaru's shadow & marked his reach in the ground.

"_My siblings are incredible ." _he thought, _"I'm lucky to have them."_

Kankuro turned to watch the match. It seemed he too, was lost in his thoughts.

As Shikamaru launched his kunai into the air above them, Gaara thought back to the second exam. He couldn't believe he was going to abandon his siblings now. He needed them by his side. He would never have been able to suppress the Shukaku without them there to support him.

Suddenly, Kankuro was grabbed from behind.

"Wha-?" he gasped, as lips were pressed against his.

"You did great!" Tenten exclaimed, her arms around his neck. Kankuro blushed lightly.

"Thanks Tenten-chan." he replied, smiling at her. Tenten smiled back at him.

"You can drop the 'chan'." she told him, causing him to smile wider. Tenten looked behind Kankuro & gasped. As the two brothers looked back down to the fight, they saw Temari trapped in Shikamaru's shadow.

"The lazy guy beat her?" Tenten exclaimed, annoyed, "Does that make _him_ better than me?"

"Not at all, babe." Kankuro replied, hurriedly, "Even I couldn't beat Temari."

Tenten looked at Kankuro suspiciously. He had answered a little too fast. Gaara decided to help him out again.

"I think even I would have trouble dealing with Temari." he said, causing Tenten to raise her eyebrows.

"Really?" she asked.

Gaara nodded, "She could easily blow my sand away, it would take a lot of effort to get it around her, unseen."

Tenten seemed to accept that because she loosened up again. But then she had a thought.

"Hey, what about your match with Sasuke-san, why was it skipped?" she asked.

"He hasn't turned up yet." Kankuro replied, "But Gaara & Sasuke-san's fight is kinda the main event. A lot of people would be angry if Sasuke-san got disqualified."

That made sense. The three of them looked back down to the arena, waiting for Shikamaru to be announced the winner. But for some reason, he raised his hand.

"I give up." he said, to everyone's surprise, "I've got about ten seconds worth of chakra left. It's a shame, I had the next two-hundred moves planned out."

As he said this, his shadow receded. Genma was looking at Shikamaru in surprise.

"Alright." he said, "In that case, by forfeit, Temari is the winner!"

The crowd was still in shock. Some started to boo Shikamaru. Naruto even jumped down & grabbed him by the shirt.

"Why did you give up? Are you really that lazy?!" he demanded.

"Get off me! I said, I'm out of chakra. In case you forgot, I'm supposed to be fighting the next match against that Oto guy. I don't have the energy to face him!"

At this point, Genma stepped in.

"Alright, break it up you guys." he said, before speaking to the crowd, "But he has a point. By default, Dosu wins his match. Now, has Uchiha Sasuke shown up yet?"

As he said this, leaves & petals blew through the air as Sasuke & Kakashi suddenly appeared.

"Sorry we're late." Kakashi said, "Sasuke-kun was having a fashion crisis."

Laughs came from the crowd as Sasuke glared at his sensei. It was true that the Uchiha had had a change in costume.

"Proctor, who's match is it?" Sasuke asked.

"It's you versus Gaara now." Genma replied, "Would everyone else please clear the stage!"

Gaara turned to Tenten.

"You're going to want to get a good view of this." he told her.

Tenten nodded excitedly before running off to find her seat.

"Don't beat him up too much." Kankuro said, grinning.

Gaara grinned back and headed down the stairs. On his way, he passed Naruto & Shikamaru.

"Good luck." they both said, giving him a pat on the back as he went by.

"Did something seem different about Gaara?" Naruto asked Shikamaru, who looked at him like he was an idiot.

As Gaara walked into the arena, he felt every eye upon him. He decided to return to his stoic posture. He walked over to Sasuke slowly, letting off a wave of killer intent. He was pretty good at those by now. When he reached Sasuke, the Uchiha frowned.

"Where's your gourd?" he asked.

"I won't be needing it." Gaara replied, casting a glance up to Tenten, who was shaking with anticipation. He suppressed a smirk as he removed Sasayaki from his back. He unsheathed it & took on a stance. He stretched out his right leg & bent his left one. He held his left hand forward, palm facing outward. The other hand held Sasayaki behind him, the blade glistening in the sunlight. His face revealed pure determination.

"Alright." Genma said, wary of the raw power emanating from the two enemies, "Begin."

Sasuke charged forward. He pulled out a kunai & slashed at Gaara, who leapt back & twisted in the air, swinging Sasayaki forward to deflect the attack, knocking the kunai out of Sasuke's hand. Gaara landed on the ground & rotated Sasayaki in his hands. He then tossed it into the air and lunged at Sasuke, aiming a kick at his shins. Sasuke used the momentum of the kick to perform a cartwheel. During mid-turn, he twisted, sending both feet to Gaara's head. Gaara flipped backwards, delivering a kick to Sasuke's stomach, forcing the breath to leave his lungs & pushing him back several yards. Gaara landed on his feet & caught Sasayaki, Holding her horizontally in front of him.

Sasuke got to his feet, wincing slightly from the pain in his stomach. He pulled out several kunai & with one hand, he threw three into the air. With the other, he threw kunai to the ones already in the air. They collided & caused the first set of kunai to change direction, flying at Gaara from different angles. In a heartbeat Gaara closed his eyes & swung Sasayaki around his shoulders, hitting the kunai perfectly & sending them straight to their owner.

In three seconds, Sasuke felt three things. In the first second, he felt shock. How could Gaara hit the kunai so perfectly? The second second, he felt fear. Just what else was Gaara capable of? The third second, he felt anger. No way was he going to be taken down so easily. He leapt in the air, twisted & grabbed two of the kunai. Holding one in each hand, he charged Gaara.

The two then fought to gain the upper hand. Gaara wielded Sasayaki with the kind of grace that said the two were one. Sasuke wielded hiskunai with the ferocity of a demon, refusing defeat. When Sasuke slashed, Gaara parried. When Sasuke lunged, Gaara blocked. When Sasuke swung, Gaara countered. Then Sasuke tried something stupid. He leapt at Gaara, holding both kunai in the air, he clearly intended to embed them in Gaara's shoulders. But Gaara countered the attack by ramming the safe end of Sasayaki into Sasuke's chest, sending the Uchiha flying. The sheer force of the attack hurled Sasuke into the wall of the arena, a small crater formed from the impact.

But Sasuke didn't fall to the ground. He used his chakra to keep himself attached to the wall. His breathing was heavy, his head hung. Gaara lowered Sasayaki & awaited the Uchiha's next move.

In a flash, Sasuke was on his feet. He glared at Gaara, Sharingan blazing. He unbuckled the belts on his wrists and formed several hand signs before gripping his left wrist with his right hand. Electricity formed around the lower part of Sasuke's arm, a sound like birds twittering filled the air. Sasuke charged down the wall at a speed too fast for the eye to follow. The only thing anyone saw was the blur of his jutsu as he ran straight at Gaara.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke yelled, swinging his hand at Gaara.

It all happened in a heartbeat. The jutsu came closer & closer to Gaara, as if in slow motion. The electricity drew nearer, the sound of birds ringing in his ears. His reaction was instantaneous. He blocked the attack with Sasayaki.

The electricity flew everywhere, but not a spark hit Gaara. The electricity was then pulled deep into Sasayaki, disappearing within her body. Sasuke watched as his Chidori was pulled into the naginata. Not just that, but the rest of his chakra was drained too. Sasuke collapsed onto the ground, unable to move. The crowd were frozen in shock.

High above the crowd, the Hokage's mouth was hanging open as the pride of the leaf village was defeated. He didn't believe it possible.

Next to him, the Kazekage stared at the match, beyond frozen. He couldn't breath as he watched Gaara stand over Sasuke, his weapon glowing faintly with a blue light. Although his mask hid his movement, Orochimaru licked his lips.

"Why- why did my Chidori fail?" Sasuke asked, wincing in pain.

Gaara held Sasayaki close to him, surveying the ethereal light emanating from her, making her even more beautiful.

"This weapon once belonged to the daughter of Raijin." he said, "It was created to defeat his lightning. Sasayaki hates the noise that comes from lightning & will do everything in her power to stop it. This is the perfect weapon for fighting someone who has that nature chakra, as I knew you were."

Gaara then went on to tell the story of Sasayaki. As he told it, he sensed that everyone was giving him their full attention, hanging on his every word. When Gaara had finished his story, he looked down at Sasuke, who had been listening intently. He then glared at Gaara with pure hatred.

"So yesterday was just a way to torment me then? You knew I wouldn't stand a chance, so you decided to taunt me!" he said, darkly.

Gaara looked at Sasuke. His next words were spoken quietly, so no-one else would hear.

"I wanted to see your skills without the Sharingan. I must say, I'm unimpressed. I know your goal. You are nowhere near ready for him."

Sasuke glared at Gaara weakly, his eyes losing focus. As he lost consciousness, he could have sworn he'd seen Itachi standing behind Gaara.

Genma knelt beside Sasuke, checking his pulse. When he was satisfied, he stood & looked at Gaara.

"Gaara is the victor!" he announced. Some of the audience, the gamblers most likely, cheered. The rest of the audience were still in shock. All of a sudden, there was an explosion in the distance. Shinobi could be heard shouting orders to one another. Gaara instantly turned his head to his siblings, who jumped from the viewing area & were by his side in no time.

"Alright, what are we going to do?" Kankuro asked, handing Gaara his gourd.

Gaara looked back at the source of the commotion.

"We are going to assist Konoha in fighting the Oto shinobi. Make sure Konoha shinobi see you do it. Just for safe measure, remove your headbands. We don't want anyone attacking us unnecessarily."

Suddenly, Tenten appeared by Kankuro's side.

"What's going on?" she asked urgently, looking from Kankuro to Gaara.

"Suna & Oto are attacking Konoha." Gaara replied, but when he noticed Tenten tense, he added, "We three shall assist you."

Tenten looked shocked.

"Why would you betray your own village?" she asked. Temari answered, thinking quickly.

"Our Kazekage & council were easily manipulated by the leader of Otogakure. We won't follow a village who is that easily manipulated."

Tenten shock changed to surprise.

"We need to act now. Tenten-chan, will you be fighting?" Gaara asked.

Tenten nodded with determination.

"I'll show 'em what happens when they mess with my home!" she replied with determination.

"Alright then. Go find your sensei & get your orders. We'll head towards the main conflict."

Tenten nodded & left the three, who headed for the centre of the village. They encountered several Oto shinobi on the way, but Gaara easily defeated them.

He heard a strange sound behind him. He turned back to see walls of chalra appear around the roof of the arena. Inside were the Hokage & the Kazekage. Gaara looked back to the Oto shinobi in front of him & attacked them.

"_Gaara."_

Gaara's communication stone had activated. He listened to Madara's words & turned to his siblings.

"I'm going to meet with my master." he said, "You two stay here & deal with any Oto nin you face. I won't be long."

Gaara turned & left. He leapt up to the rooftops, were the combat wasn't any lighter, & ran in the direction of the entrance of Konoha. It didn't take long to reach it. He had managed to kill many Oto nin as he passed, leaving Konoha nin looking at him in surprise. He dashed through the main gates & headed into the forest. He ran for about half a mile before he found someone standing in a tree, waiting.

"Madara-sensei." Gaara said bowing on his knee.

"Gaara-kun, I need you to listen." Madara said, looking anxious, "What I'm about to tell you is of the utmost importance!"


	13. The void of promise

**I've never managed to make a story las this long before. this is probably my first ever real achievement. I'm enjoying writing this fanfic so much, i'm already forming new ideas. maybe i'll leave a vote at the end asking who my next fanfic should star... maybe.**

**Disclaimer: every time i think 'disclaimer' i then think 'proclaimers'. Then every time i think 'proclaimers' i think 'Frankie Boyle'. Whenever i think 'Frankie Boyle' i think 'when i take over the world, i will make him King of Scotland.'**

**

* * *

**

Destiny rewritten

Gaara surveyed Madara, who looked to be quite dishelved. He thought pack to Pein's words, they defiantly seemed accurate. Perhaps Madara _had _lived too long. The man stared at Gaara, awaiting his reply.

"I'm sorry, Madara-sensei." Gaara said, "But I refuse."

Madara looked enraged.

"What?!" he yelled, "You dare disobey me? Are you forgetting your vow to stand by my side?!"

Gaara shook his head.

"You are not the man you once were." he said, "It was to him that I made my vow to stand beside. That man is now dead, I will follow his last wish & make his clan strong."

Madara glared insanely at Gaara.

"How could you?" he asked, unbelievingly, "How could you side with _them _over me?"

"As you live, you need a reason. Otherwise it's the same as being dead. You have given up on your purpose, so now, in soul, you are dead. Soon, your body will die too."

Madara roared in anger.

* * * * *

All over Konoha, every shinobi stopped in their tracks. Even Sarutobi & Orochimaru paused & looked past the main gates of Konoha. Everyone was looking in the same direction. Though each of their minds eye, all of them saw a giant red explosion about half a mile away from Konoha. The blast washed through them, poured over them. Together, they all shared the same thought.

"_What killer intent."_

* * * * *

Madara was seething. He glared at Gaara, hatred pouring off of him.

"You." he snarled, "I gave you power. I gave you life. I gave you a destiny. How dare you betray me?"

Gaara felt slightly shaken, having been meters away from the metaphorical explosion. Even he had never felt killer intent that strong.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you continue your path of destruction. I will follow the destiny you originally intended for me. But you will not leave this place alive. Forgive me Madara-sensei."

Madara blinked at Gaara. Something was going through his mind, but Gaara couldn't figure out what.

"So… you are going to try & kill me then?" he asked, in a surprisingly calm voice. It seemed he was beyond anger now.

Gaara shook his head.

"No." he said, "I cannot kill you."

"But I can."

Madara snapped his head round in shock. A fist struck Madara and pierced his body, the knuckles sticking out of his back. The assailant then placed a hand on Madara's head. Madara's eyes were shaking in fear as blood slid past his lips. The attacker removed his hand. Madara collapsed, dead.

The attacker faced Gaara & stepped into the light. Gaara raised his brow in surprise.

The man was a member of Akatsuki. He reminded him of someone. He had long hair, the same orange colour, and apparently the same interest in piercings. But what really caught Gaara's eye was that this man seemed to possess the Rinnegan as well. Gaara realized what he was seeing.

"So this is another one of your bodies?" he asked.

Pein nodded.

"This is my Human Realm." he said, "I must say, Gaara-san, I was surprised to hear your answer to Madara's request. I had come here, believing I would have to kill you both."

Gaara looked at the lifeless body of his former master.

"This piece of trash isn't worth my allegiance." he said, emotionlessly, "Besides, standing by him would be dissatisfying. If I wish to truly feel alive, then my place is with Akatsuki."

Although Pein didn't show it, he seemed pleased with Gaara's words.

"Well, this is a surprise." he said, "In that case, Gaara-san, welcome to Akatsuki."

Gaara bowed to Pein.

"Thank you, Leader-sama." he replied. He stood again, "If I may, I believe Madara was correct in one thing; if Sasuke joins Orochimaru, then in time he could become a very valuable asset to Akatsuki."

Pein stared at Gaara with his Rinnegan eyes.

"That is unlikely." he said, "The boy hates Itachi, he'd never work with the group associated with him."

"I believe he will." Gaara countered, "When I first brought Itachi here, I learned much of his past. I believe if I pass this knowledge onto Sasuke, he will definitely join us."

Gaara held up a file.

"With the evidence Madara gave me, Sasuke's hatred for Konoha will exceed that of all the hatred he has ever felt for Itachi."

Pein was greatly interested in what Gaara was saying.

"Very well." he said, "If you believe that you can succeed, then complete your mission. When you are done, I will send a subordinate to collect you. By the way, I should warn you; I have reason to believe that the sannin Jiraiya is nearby. He is the last person I want to know of our plans."

Pein turned to leave, but he paused.

"Oh, and, here."

He tossed something small to Gaara, & disappeared, taking Madara's body with him. Gaara caught the object & looked at it. It was a ring bearing the kanji for 'void'. Gaara's face was hidden in shadow.

"_Finally." _he thought, _"I am no longer being held back."_

He turned & headed back to Konoha. On his way, he noticed both Oto & Suna shinobi fleeing the area. It appeared the conflict was over. But when Gaara entered the main gates, he was surprised to find himself surrounded by dozens of Naruto's, plus the rest of the Konoha genin. The exception, of course, being Neji, Shino & Sasuke.

"Gaara!" the Naruto's shouted, "What are you still doing here?!"

Temari & Kankuro both appeared by Gaara's side. Gaara faced the Naruto's calmly.

"Naruto-kun, we are not your enemy. We have abandoned Suna." he said.

The clones disappeared, leaving the real Naruto looking surprised.

"Really?" he asked.

Gaara nodded.

"See? Just like I said!" Tenten exclaimed, indignantly.

"That is not all." Gaara said, drawing the attention of them all. He folded his arms & gave them his most serious look.

"We wish to join Konoha."

Everyone, Naruto, Shikamaru, even his own siblings looked to him in shock.

"Are you for real?" Naruto asked, disbelief painted on his face.

Gaara nodded again.

"Alright Gaara!" Naruto yelled, his previous anger forgotten. Shikamaru seemed pleased too, although he didn't show it quite so much.

Suddenly, someone was running through the streets.

"The Hokage is dead!" the person yelled, causing shock & horror.

During the distraction, Temari & Kankuro drew nearer to Gaara.

"So how'd it go?" Kankuro asked.

"I've been accepted, but I no longer obey my previous master." Gaara replied, watching the Konoha genin warily, "After we finish up here, Leader-sama will send someone to collect us."

Temari & Kankuro nodded.

"Meanwhile," Gaara added, "You are to socialize with these guys. Make friends of them."

"Why?" Temari asked, surprised.

"I believe bonds with these people will be beneficial in the future." was all Gaara said, before stepping over to Naruto.

"Naruto-kun?" he asked.

"I can't believe it." Naruto said, his brow raised, "The old man? He's gone?"

Gaara placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"You were close to him." he noted.

"He was close to everybody." Naruto replied, "Everyone loved him as much as he loved us."

Gaara nodded.

"_So no Hokage." _he thought, _"That's a problem. We can't join Konoha if there's no Hokage to enlist us."_

The new missing-nin let go of Naruto's shoulder. It wasn't his place to console him right now.

* * * * *

It wasn't easy explaining themselves to the council of Konoha. The Elders were particularly hard on them. Gaara was surprised to see the person from Itachi's genjutsu here, a man called Danzo. He seemed more than willing to allow the three into Konoha. He had seen how powerful they were during the chunin exams. He also seemed to like the way they abandoned Suna because of it being too weak. From what Gaara could gather, this man was the rule-with-an-iron-fist type.

"I say we accept their request." Danzo said, "We need strong shinobi like them now more than ever."

"Please." Nara Shikaku replied, annoyed, "You just want another Jinchūriki in Konoha, isn't that right?"

"Shikaku-kun!" Yamanaka Inoichi exclaimed, looking at his fellow council member in shock.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Shikaku apologised to Gaara.

"Nevertheless," Hyuuga Hiashi stressed, "The council does not have the power to enlist new shinobi into our ranks. That power resides with the Hokage alone. However, we have reports of you three assisting our shinobi during the attack. For that we will not have you arrested. When there is a new Hokage, you may request to join our military. Dismissed."

The three siblings bowed to the council & left. Outside the tower, Naruto, Sakura, Tenten & Shikamaru were awaiting them.

"Are you in then?" Naruto asked anxiously.

"Only the Hokage can let us in." Temari replied, "But at least we're not getting arrested!"

"Well at least that's something." Shikamaru said, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"So… does that mean you'll be staying?" Tenten asked, her hands behind her back, looking at the ground. Kankuro grinned.

"That's right!" he said.

Tenten lit up. She threw her arms around Kankuro's neck & kissed him. Shikamaru & Temari both rolled their eyes at the same moment. When the two parted, they held each others hand.

"We'll see you guys later." Kankuro said, the two of them taking off.

"See ya." they all replied.

Naruto cast a glance to everyone.

"So who wants ramen?" ha asked, causing Sakura to groan.

"What is ramen anyway?" Gaara asked. Naruto's jaw dropped.

"Ow! Naruto, my foot!" Sakura complained, thumping her team mate across the head.

In no time, Naruto had dragged Gaara & Temari down to the ramen stand.

"Hey, Ichiraku-kun!" Naruto called to the shop owner.

"Hm? What is it?" Ichiraku asked. Naruto pointed to Gaara & Temari.

"These two have never tried ramen before!" Naruto announced, to which Ichiraku placed a hand over his heart.

"And so you brought them to my humble restaurant? I'm touched." he said, before dropping his hand & grinning, "I'll bring you a couple of regulars."

He moved behind a veil & a sizzling sound could soon be heard. Naruto sat on Temari's left, grinning & rocking on his seat. Temari eyed him warily.

After a few minutes, Ichiraku returned with their ramen. They thanked him as he returned behind the veil.

"Alright, lets eat!" Naruto said, digging in.

Gaara tried the ramen. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't something he'd obsess about. Temari seemed to enjoy it a little more.

Later, Gaara & Temari said goodbye to Naruto & headed back to the hotel.

"You seem to have already made a few friends." Temari noted, a bemused grin on her face. Gaara shrugged.

"I didn't seek them out, they just kinda found me." he replied. Temari smiled.

"That's the best way for it to happen!" she countered.

"What about you?" Gaara asked, "Made any friends of your own?"

Temari thought to herself for a second before sighing.

"Unfortunately, most of the kunoichi around here are pathetic." she replied, "However, there's some pretty smart guys around here that are pretty skilled & pretty cool."

Gaara cringed slightly, "You're not gonna wind up as disgusting as Kankuro, are you?"

Temari blushed at the notion.

"I don't have to have a crush on a guy just to hang out with him!" she said hotly, "Haven't you ever heard of platonic relationships?"

"Doesn't that mean you just haven't done it with the guy yet?"

Temari was now in a full flush.

"No it- do you really think I'm like-" she gasped, looking past Gaara's stoic expression & seeing the mischievous grin he was hiding.

"You're teasing me!" she said, shocked. Gaara chuckled.

"So who are these 'pretty guys' then?" Gaara asked, looking at Temari from the corner of his eye.

"I-I didn't say-" she stammered.

"You said 'pretty' a little too often, it's 'pretty' obvious what you were thinking." he shot back, the hidden grin returned. Temari hung her head.

"Am I really that pathetic?" she asked, her normally strong composure shattered. Gaara sighed.

"With you two for siblings, I know that I'm gonna get bitch-slapped by puberty." Gaara replied. Temari laughed, but was shocked.

"Three jokes in one day?" she noted, "Is the new company really having that strong an effect on you?"

Gaara grabbed his head.

"It's like a disease, I can't help it." he complained, making Temari laugh again. Suddenly, Umibe appeared on Gaara's shoulder.

"Is Gaara-sama ill?" he asked, worried.

"No, he isn't." Temari replied, smiling at the young worm, "He's just discovering something called 'pleasantness'."

"Ple-sant-ness." Umibe repeated, before looking afraid, "Is he going to die?"

Temari laughed once again, "No, it just means he's not used to being so relaxed."

Umibe looked relieved. He returned to the gourd.

"What, he's going back already?" Temari asked, sadly.

"Sandworms have a peculiar calendar." Gaara replied, "This is their Time of Resting, so, we won't be seeing much of him."

Temari nodded. The two of them had reached the apartment, but they paused as they saw Kankuro & Tenten standing outside, talking. They decided it would be rude to interrupt, but not to listen in.

"It's amazing." Tenten said, looking at Kankuro's hand in hers, "I thought what we had was only a fling, seeing as you belonged to a different village."

"Hey." Kankuro replied, holding up Tenten's chin, "I never thought of this as just a fling, got it?"

The two embraced each other, tears of happiness pouring down Tenten's eyes.

"Wow. Who thought Kankuro could be such a rom- sap!" Temari said, adding the last part hurriedly as she saw the look Gaara gave her. Gaara sighed & beckoned for Temari to follow him away.

* * * * *

"Hey, Gaara!"

Gaara looked behind him. Naruto was running & waving.

"Naruto-kun." Gaara said, greeting his friend.

"Hey, Ero-sennin & me are just about top go on a mission to find some lady that could heal Lee!" Naruto exclaimed, excitedly.

"Someone who can heal Lee-san?" Gaara repeated, before giving Naruto a serious look, "I'll meet you at the gates."

Naruto grinned & ran off. Gaara headed immediately to the gates.

"Umibe." Gaara called.

"Yes, Gaara-sama?" came the muffled voice form the gourd.

"I want you to go tell Temari that I'm going on a personal mission. She'll be very worried if she can't find me."

"Hai, Gaara-sama!"

Gaara felt his gourd become slightly lighter as Umibe poured out of it & blew away in the breeze. When he reached the gates, he saw an old man waiting. The man had long, white & spiky hair. He had facial markings similar to Kankuro's & a headband with the kanji for 'oil'. Gaara walked up to the old man.

"You are waiting for Naruto-kun?" Gaara asked the man, who glanced at Gaara with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, what of it?" he asked, looking straight ahead.

"He told me you are seeking a skilled medic-nin."

The man sighed, "That kid really doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."

Gaara folded his arms, "I'm coming as well."

The man shook his head.

"Sorry kid, no can do." he said, "It's already going to be a pain dealing with the idiot, I don't need another following me."

"What are you implying?" Gaara asked, dangerously. His voice drew the old mans attention. He looked Gaara up & down.

"Hey, you're that Suna kid, right? The one who left his village."

Gaara nodded. The old man seemed to think carefully for a moment.

"Alright, you can come. But don't slow us down!"

Gaara nodded again & unfolded his arms. Naruto came running down the street towards them.

"OK, I'm ready!" he announced.

"Fine, lets get on our way then." the old man replied, walking past the gates. Gaara & Naruto followed suit.

* * * * *

They had been walking for a while, not much was happening. Naruto was being annoying & the old man was getting annoyed. Aside from that, the place was-

Gaara whipped his head to the right. The old man looked at him.

"Your senses are strong." he said quietly, so Naruto wouldn't hear, "Don't worry about them; I know what to do."

Gaara didn't like the sound of the old man's words. Should he try to warn them? No, the old man would instantly know what he'd done.

Naruto was growing impatient. He was determined for the old man to teach him something.

"Teach me the next one! Come on Ero-sennin!" he demanded.

"Ero-sennin, Ero-sennin…" the old man repeated, annoyed, "You don't know that I'm a great person, do you?"

"A great person?" Gaara said, "Just who are you, old man?"

The old man suddenly seemed full of energy. He ran ahead of the two boys & faced them.

"I'm glad you asked!" he exclaimed, doing a strange dance, "The title 'frog hermit' is merely a disguise."

He took a step forward, grinning broadly.

"I shall tell you my true identity." he said. He then started rotating his head, causing his hair to fly around, "I am the man who has no enemies in the north, south, east & west. Not even in the heavens! I am one of the sannin. White haired frog tamer. Even a crying baby would stare in awe… The Great Jiraiya!"

Jiraiya stood in a pose, awaiting their reactions. Neither of them looked impressed, they both walked past him. Naruto was genuinely disinterested, but Gaara's mind was reeling.

"_Of all the people." _he thought, _"It would be _him _that I have to travel with. I need to tread carefully."_

"Hey Gaara, you ok?" Naruto asked.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine." Gaara replied.

Later, Jiraiya had gotten over his embarrassment. He walked in between the two boys, apparently lost in thought, when they reached a small town.

"Alright, we'll rest here for the night." Jiraiya said.

"Already?" Gaara asked, "We haven't been travelling for long, is it ok to stop so soon?"

"The woman I'm looking for, Tsunade, travels all over the place." Jiraiya replied, "I don't have any definite idea where she is, so I'm going to ask around town to find out if anyone's seen her. But for now, lets check into a hotel."

Gaara & Naruto followed Jiraiya as he walked into a hotel & purchased a room. As they turned to leave, a woman walked by.

From what Gaara could see, she was attractive. But judging from the reactions of the two next to him, he was making an understatement.

"_Why are these two idiots ogling her?" _he thought, _"She's not that big a deal. Nothing like-"_

He stopped himself before finishing the thought. It was improper to think in such a way at his age… right?

"Here." Jiraiya said, handing Naruto the room key, "You two go up to the room & practice chakra control. I'll see you later."

Before Naruto could protest, he was already gone.

"Naruto-kun." Gaara said, "I'm going for a walk, I'll see you later as well."

Naruto blinked.

"Huh? Ok, yeah. See ya." he replied, heading up to their room. Gaara turned around & walked back out into the street. He looked to his left & saw Jiraiya walking away with his arm around the woman. Gaara growled in annoyance before walking off to the right. He hadn't gotten far before he sensed the presence from before. He immediately followed it into an alleyway.

"Gaara-san." Itachi said, "It is a surprise to see you here."

Gaara folded his arms & stared at Itachi.

"I could say the same to you. Where's Kisame-san?" he asked.

"I sent him to purchase some supplies." Itachi replied.

The two of them stood silently for a few moments.

"I take it you have heard of the chunin exams?" Gaara asked. Itachi shook his head.

"No, I wanted to ask you, seeing as you fought him. How did he do?"

"He has a lot of potential. He has mastered an A-rank lightning jutsu he calls 'Chidori'. But he still has a long way to go."

"From what you're saying, I assume you didn't kill him?"

Gaara nodded, "His death would be meaningless."

Itachi didn't show it, but Gaara could tell he was relieved. He smirked.

"Your eyes still reveal too much." Gaara noted, "By the way, you should know that Orochimaru placed the cursed seal on him, but from what I can see, he can resist it. On top of that, Hatake Kakashi has adapted the seal, so it won't act on it's own."

Again, they both fell silent. Kisame came in behind Gaara & paused.

"This that 'Gaara' kid?" he asked, reaching for his sword "What's he doing here?"

"It's alright." Gaara said, as he pulled out the ring Pein had given him.

"So he gave you the real one then." Itachi noted. Kisame chuckled.

"I still wish I coulda' seen that snake-scum's face when he realized his lopped off hand was a replacement!" he said, grinning. He took his hand off his blade & held it out to Gaara.

"Welcome to the club." he said, grinning as Gaara shook his hand, "We've got jackets, but apparently yours haven't been delivered yet."

"He won't have taken the oath yet." Itachi replied.

Gaara snapped his head towards Itachi.

"What was that?" he asked, anger welling up inside.

"Each new member must take an oath of allegiance on their own body to Akatsuki. Leader-sama then uses a jutsu that binds the person to that oath. If that person then breaks their word…"

"They die, their body burned by the fires of hell." Kisame finished.

Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"Is there a problem?" Itachi asked. Gaara shook his head.

"Far from it. In fact, I am glad to hear it." he replied.

"Well… we'd best get going." Kisame said, "We've got a Jinchūriki to catch."

"Right." Gaara said, "I'll get out of your way. I need Konoha to see me as an ally, so I cannot be seen with you two right now."

Kisame moved to the side to let Gaara past.

"See ya later 'comrade'." Kisame said, still grinning.

"A word of warning." Gaara said, pausing at the edge of the alley, "I don't think Jiraiya was fooled by your 'bait'. He won't be far."

"We know." Itachi replied. Gaara nodded & left.

He continued his walk, but was unable to take his mind off what he knew was about to happen to Naruto. Despite Gaara's best efforts to remain detached, the blond boy had an aura that made everyone like him eventually. But Gaara knew there was absolutely no way he would break his word. If only there was another way-

"_What are _you_ doing here?" _Gaara thought, as he saw Sasuke run around a corner. The two of them looked at each other in surprise.

"What are _you _doing here?" Sasuke demanded, mirroring Gaara's thoughts.

"I'm here on a mission with Naruto-kun." Gaara replied. Sasuke's attitude changed.

"So you know where he is?" he asked, "Show me!"

Gaara realized that Sasuke knew Itachi was here. He turned & ran towards were Itachi & Kisame would now be confronting Naruto. Sasuke followed closely.

"I take it _he's_ here then." Gaara noted, hiding his own knowledge, "I can't think of any other reason why you would come all this way."

"Shut up." Sasuke ordered, "There's no way Naruto can handle Itachi."

"And you can?"

Sasuke fell silent.

They reached the hotel & flew up the stairs to the correct floor. They burst around the corner to find Kisame, holding his sword against a large toad wearing battle armour. Behind the toad stood Jiraiya & Naruto, both surprised to see the younger Uchiha.

"Sasuke." Itachi said, without looking behind him, "You've grown."

"Itachi." Sasuke spat out, "I'm finally here. Face me!"

Itachi glanced back. His eyes shifted to Gaara for a second, before settling on Sasuke.

"Sorry." he said, turning back to Naruto "You don't interest me at the moment."

"Well get interested!" Sasuke yelled. He formed the Chidori & ran at Itachi at that same incredible speed. Gaara tried to stop him, but couldn't move in time. Sasuke barrelled at Itachi, the Chidori gouging into the wall beside him. He flung his arm at his older brother, only to be blocked as Itachi grabbed his wrist.

"Is this really all you have?" Itachi asked, pulling Sasuke close to him, "All these years, and this is all the hatred you can muster?"

With a flick of the wrist, Itachi broke Sasuke's. he then gave his little brother a kick which sent him flying back down the hallway & into the wall. In a second, Itachi was clutching Sasuke's throat, whispering something in his ear. Gaara took a couple of steps back & watched as Itachi used the Tsukuyomi on his younger brother. Three seconds later, Sasuke's head slumped. Suddenly, a strange red ooze poured out of the walls, pulling Sasuke in & causing Itachi to let go of his brother. Jiraiya had cast a jutsu on the hallway, making the strange substance grow. In an instant, Kisame was down the hall, next to Itachi & Gaara. He grabbed Itachi by the shoulder.

"We gotta go." he said, before casting Gaara a questioning look.

"_You coming, or staying?" _was what the look said. Gaara answered by stepping to the side, allowing the two to pass. But the substance was growing fast.

"Amaterasu!" Itachi called. Gaara's attention was drawn as he witnessed black flames burst into life, burning a hole into the strange wall of ooze. The two Akatsuki members jumped out into the sunlight, completely disappearing from view. Jiraiya & Naruto both peeled around the corner, eyes fixed on the flames.

"What is that?!" Naruto asked, shocked by the sight.

"That's a special Sharingan jutsu, the Amaterasu." Jiraiya answered, seriously. He dispelled his own jutsu, the ooze receding, grabbing Sasuke before he fell to the floor. He then laid the boy down gently, before turning to Gaara.

"Are you ok?" he asked, "I saw them run in your direction. I'm surprised they didn't grab you."

Gaara shook his head, "I'm fine."

Suddenly, a green blur flew past Gaara.

"Dainamikku Entorii!" yelled Maito Gai, delivering a powerful kick to Jiraiya, who was sent flying. When Gai realised who he had just attacked, he became very nervous.

"Ah- sorry about that, it was a simple mistake!" he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Simple-minded is more like it." Jiraiya replied, getting to his feet, "What are you doing here?"

"Well… it was partially my fault Sasuke-san heard about his brother's return. He walked in on us talking about it in Kakashi's room & ran off with a strange look on his face."

"Wait, what were you doing in Kakashi-sensei's room?" Naruto asked. Gai gave Naruto a sorry look.

"Itachi & his partner were in Konoha not long ago." he replied, "We faced them, but Kakashi took the worst of the fight. He's been unconscious since."

Naruto looked speechless. Gaara watched the exchange from the sidelines, it still wasn't his place to stand by them in situations like these.

"Ok then. Gai-san, take him back to Konoha." Jiraiya ordered, nudging Sasuke with his foot, "We're going to continue our search for Tsunade."

Gai stared at Jiraiya.

"You're getting her?" he asked, "Then, does that mean she'll be able to help Lee?"

Jiraiya nodded, "Yeah, Sasuke & Kakashi too, hopefully."

Gai gave Jiraiya a pleading look.

"Please, do what you can!" he begged.

"Gai-san."

Gai turned to Gaara. The look he gave him wasn't exactly friendly, but Gaara wasn't really expecting one.

"I give you my word." he said, "If she can reverse the damage I have done to Lee, I will do everything in my power to bring her to Konoha."

Gai blinked. Gaara could tell this wasn't the reaction he was expecting from someone who had once proven to be very cruel.

"Fine." Gai replied, "But I will not forgive you until you do."

Gaara bowed, "That is fine."

Gai picked up Sasuke before casting one last glance at Gaara. He then ran out of the hole & vanished just like Itachi & Kisame had.

"Alright." Jiraiya said, "Lets get some rest. Tomorrow we'll head to Tanzaku town, I believe we might find Tsunade there."

Gaara nodded. He & Naruto both went to their room.

"_Tomorrow." _Gaara thought, _"I must find Tsunade at all costs."_


	14. Almost over

Don't worry, the chapter refers to the mission, not the story. i think i may have rushed this one. Ah well, just means the stories finally reaching thje imprtant bit.

**Disclaimer: I wouldn't dare try to pass of Masahi's work for my own. not 'cos i'm afraid of lawsuits or anything, the guys just awesome, ok?**

* * *

Almost over

Gaara found the next few days to be rather boring. For some reason, Naruto kept holding onto a rubber ball, staring at it like it was a puzzle.

They finally stepped through the gates of Tanzaku town. It appeared there was a festival of some sort going on. Market stalls were set up in the streets selling to hundreds of eager looking people. Naruto looked up & down the street in awe.

"Come on." Jiraiya said, heading for a side street, "Lets check out one of the bars."

"Are you crazy?!" Naruto exclaimed, "We're underage! Are you trying to be a bad influence on us?"

"Bars are the best place to go for information." Jiraiya replied, ignoring Naruto's outburst, "There's a lot of people with a lot of time to kill."

"Hmph." Naruto huffed, folding his arms, "Like I didn't know that."

Gaara shook his head & followed the two. It wasn't long before they found a bar.

"Alright, here we-" Jiraiya froze.

He was having a staring match with a woman in the bar.

"What are you doing her?!" the woman demanded, looking shocked & a little annoyed. Jiraiya chuckled.

"I should have known I'd find you in a bar." he said, taking a seat opposite her in the booth she was occupying. Naruto made to move forward, but Gaara grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait." he said.

"What are you doing here?" the woman repeated. Jiraiya leaned back in his seat.

"Looking for you." he replied.

"Why?" she asked, looking annoyed.

Jiraiya became serious. He leaned closer to the woman & she leaned forward too.

"As I'm sure you've heard, Sarutobi-sensei was killed by Orochimaru." Jiraiya said, "Konoha needs a new Hokage. The elders & I agree that you are the best choice."

The woman looked stunned. She slumped back into her seat, her eyes drifting off into space. The woman sitting beside her looked worried.

"Tsunade-sama?" she asked.

"_So this is Tsunade." _Gaara thought.

"Hey, what are you saying?" Naruto asked, "I thought she was going to heal Sasuke, now you're telling me she's going to be Hokage?!"

"Oh right." Jiraiya said, remembering the two, "These are Uzumaki Naruto & Gaara."

Tsunade's eyes shot to Naruto, staring hard at his face. She then turned to Jiraiya.

"Is this your way of trying to coerce me?" she asked angrily.

"Not at all. He's sorta my new protégé is all." Jiraiya replied, gesturing to the two to sit down. Gaara sat first, Naruto sat on the edge of the chair. Tsunade looked at Gaara.

"So who's this guy?" she asked, "Another protégé?"

"Watch your mouth." Gaara told her, darkly. He needed her, but he wasn't going to let her talk down to him like a dog. Tsunade smirked at him.

"Maybe you should watch yours, brat." she replied.

In an instant, she was pressed against the wall, Gaara's arm mutated into the Shukaku's. The four around Gaara stared at him, gaping. Tsunade's face revealed the most shock as she saw Gaara's eye change to the Shukaku's as well.

"Who are you?" Gaara snarled, "To speak down to someone, when you don't even know their capabilities?"

"You- you're the Shukaku Jinchūriki!" Tsunade exclaimed, grunting with effort as she tried to break free of the sand.

"I can see you gathering your chakra." Gaara growled, "You intend to use your strength to break free. But what good is elephantine strength if you can't build the momentum to use it?"

"Gaara, let her go!" Jiraiya ordered. Gaara glared at Jiraiya, only to be met with a serious stare. Gaara grunted & released her. Tsunade fell back to her seat, breathing a little heavier. Suddenly, she lunged at Gaara, her hand flying straight through the sand, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck. She then threw him across the room, out of the entrance & into the wall opposite. Gaara got to his feet as Tsunade appeared before him, grabbing him again & throwing him into the air. Gaara didn't even have time to recover from this, however, as she leapt up to him & kicked him back down to the ground. If not for the sand, his chest would have caved in completely from impact with the ground. Gaara groaned & turned, looking out of the newly formed crater he was centred in. Tsunade stood on the edge, cracking her knuckles. Gaara's vision was blurred, but he thought he saw Naruto point angrily at Tsunade & yell something to her that sounded like a challenge. Tsunade appeared to accept as, not long after, Naruto was lying beside Gaara, unconscious. Tsunade smirked as she looked at her handiwork, but raised her brow in surprise as she saw Gaara get to his feet.

"You're pretty resilient, aren't you?" she asked, with a superior grin.

"And you're pretty cowardly, aren't you?" Gaara countered, "You would have to be, to attack someone who backed down."

Tsunade eyed Gaara as he stood, a look of surprise on her face. She had expected him to be unconscious for several days, yet he stood before her, almost undamaged.

Gaara picked Naruto up & carried him out of the crater. He then gently rested the boy on the ground before looking up at Tsunade. Her assistant stood by her side, Jiraiya stood by Gaara.

"I'm sorry Jiraiya, but I refuse your offer." Tsunade said, "Nothing will make me return to Konoha."

She turned on her heel & left, her assistant following her. Jiraiya rubbed his forehead & sighed.

"Come on." Jiraiya said, picking Naruto off the ground, "We'll check into a hotel & try again tomorrow."

Gaara nodded & followed Jiraiya. He was annoyed at himself for making his mission more difficult. He shouldn't have lost control, but he stood by what he said. Tomorrow, he would convince Tsunade himself.

* * * * *

Almost a week had passed since the incident. They couldn't find Tsunade anywhere & Jiraiya was beginning to think she skipped town. Naruto had been out for days on end working on an 'A-rank jutsu'. Last night he had gotten the hang of it, almost completely mastering it. Right now, he lay in his bed, snoring.

"Well, I'm gonna go look for Tsunade." Jiraiya said, making for the door.

"I'll look too." Gaara said, making for the door. Jiraiya stopped him.

"Sorry, kid. I don't think she'll be exactly _responsive _to you."

Gaara looked up at the old man.

"I made a promise to many people that I would do everything in my power to help Lee-san." he replied, "Last night I made that promise less likely. I must make up for my actions, if I am to keep my word."

Jiraiya considered him for a moment. He let Gaara past. Gaara nodded in thanks & left, Jiraiya behind him. They stepped out into the streets & Jiraiya stopped him again.

"You go that way." he said, pointing to the left. He went to the right.

Gaara scoured the streets for Tsunade, but was having no luck. He realised with a groan that Jiraiya was probably sending him where she wouldn't go. But he persevered & as luck would have it, he found her sitting in a small outdoor bar.

"Where's your assistant?" he asked her.

"I ditched Shizune a while back." she replied, without looking up. Gaara took a seat next to her, noticing her annoyance.

"You here to ask for my forgiveness or something?" she asked, smirking slightly into her cup. Gaara shook his head.

"I won't go back on my words for any cost." he said, "No, I'm just here to talk."

Tsunade scoffed, "You want to convince me to become the Hokage, don't you?"

"I won't lie." Gaara replied, "My siblings & I abandoned Sunagakure after finding out about the attack on Konoha. We intend to join Konoha's forces, but without a Hokage present, there is no-one to enlist us. So yes, I do want you to become Hokage. But that isn't the only reason."

Tsunade looked to him, interest in her eyes. Gaara leaned forward on the tabletop.

"During the chunin exams, and beforehand, I had trouble controlling the beast within me. Recently, I have learned to control the urges the beast gave me, but in a moment of weakness, I crippled a Konoha genin. His name is Rock Lee, and I am ashamed of what I have done to him. Being a shinobi is all that matters to him & I took that from him. I vowed to do everything in my power to correct the damage &, as it turns out, you may be the only way."

Tsunade had listened to his words, but she looked away as he finished.

"Sorry." she said, "But I'm not a medic-nin anymore, I can't help you."

Gaara dropped the subject. Persistence wasn't going to help.

"So, you were pretty impressive back there." Tsunade said, in an attempt at a bright tone, "I never believed a Jinchūriki could have such control over the Bijū."

"It's not that easy, my Bijū is a bloodthirsty monster. He taps into my anger & I lose control slightly, but not enough to place the blame on the Shukaku. Although the benefits are useful."

"Yeah?"

"The eye for instance. I can see chakra. Where it's going, what it's doing & who it belongs to. But that's not all. I can also see Remnant chakra."

"Remnant chakra?"

"I can see where a particular shinobi has been, based on the chakra trail he or she leaves behind. You have Orochimaru's Remnant chakra all over you."

Tsunade cringed at his words.

"What of it?" she asked, "We crossed paths by coincidence, that's all."

Gaara leaned back in his chair.

"Another thing about Remnant chakra is that it also reveals what state the person was in when they left the chakra, so don't lie to me. Orochimaru wants you to heal his arms. He offered you something in exchange."

Tsunade stared into the dregs of sake in her cup. She seemed to be remembering something.

"What were their names?" Gaara asked.

Tears were welling in Tsunade's eyes, but she was fighting them back.

"I don't feel like telling you that." she said, trying to make her voice sound strong. Gaara nodded, showing he understood. They sat silently for a while, neither looking at each other.

"I was wondering…" Gaara said, drawing Tsunade's attention, "If I could ask you some advice."

Tsunade blinked. She looked up at Gaara, her brow raised.

"What is it?" she asked, curious.

Gaara was staring into his hands.

"What does it mean…" he started, unsure of how to form his words, "If a person occupies your thoughts, even if you haven't seen that person in a long time?"

Tsunade looked surprised at what he was saying.

"A person occupying your thoughts?" she repeated. Gaara nodded.

"I can't keep my mind off this person. But the problem is, that person wants something that conflicts with what my goal. I don't know what to do."

Tsunade stared intently at him. He could tell she was thinking carefully.

"This person… is a girl?" she asked. She got her answer when Gaara glanced nervously at her. She smiled to herself.

"Yes… but if I choose to stand by her, then the very thing I have been doing for all this time could be put at risk." Gaara said.

"Well…" Tsunade replied, thoughtfully, "I guess, if that's the case… then you have to decide what is more important. What she wants, or what… you… want."

She suddenly seemed to realize something as she got to her feet.

"I've… I gotta go." she said, running off. But as she turned, Gaara noticed her tears falling.

* * * * *

As Gaara made his way back to the hotel, he saw Jiraiya standing outside it, holding onto his stomach.

"Hey," the toad sage said, wearily, "I'm guessing you're the reason Tsunade's in a mood? She barged right past me & popped me one when I tried to stop her."

"I think I may have brought up some painful memories for her." Gaara replied. Jiraiya stared at Gaara.

"So it wasn't my imagination. She was really crying then?" he asked. Gaara nodded, "Phew, you really are a piece of work."

He got up & made to head inside the hotel, but Gaara stopped him.

"Wait, there's something you should know." he said, a hint of urgency in his voice, "She has been in recent contact with Orochimaru. He wants her to heal his arms."

Jiraiya looked shocked. He turned around & began running after Tsunade.

"Go get Naruto!" he ordered. Gaara ran inside. He hurried into their room to find Naruto eating instant ramen. One look at Gaara's face & Naruto grabbed his coat, gulping down his mouthful.

"What's going on?" he asked as they ran across the rooftops. Gaara activated his Shukaku eye & looked straight ahead.

"The sannin are fighting." he replied, "Orochimaru came to make Tsunade heal his arms, but apparently she refused."

"Wait, that snake guy's here?" Naruto asked. Gaara replied with a nod.

They reached the battlefield to find a large dust cloud settling. To the left, Jiraiya & Orochimaru were fighting. It seemed the punch Tsunade gave Jiraiya had affected his chakra control, he was having trouble against the crippled snake. To the right, Tsunade was on the ground, shaking. Someone stood near her, his arm drenched in blood.

"Kabuto!" Naruto yelled, "What are you doing here?"

"Naruto-kun." Gaara said, touching the other boy on the shoulder, "Look at his headband."

Instead of the Konoha emblem, a musical note marked the metal plate, the symbol for Otogakure.

"Naruto-kun, you deal with him, I'll assist the old man." Gaara said. Naruto ran off to fight Kabuto. Gaara headed over to Jiraiya & Orochimaru.

"Stay back!" Jiraiya warned, "I'll stop him."

Orochimaru smirked.

"Stop me? You can barely stand!" he goaded, kicking Jiraiya in the stomach, sending him flying. He then turned to Gaara.

"What a surprise to see you here, Gaara-kun." he said, wearing a snake-like grin, "How's Madara-kun?"

Gaara didn't respond vocally. He placed his hand in his pocket & pulled out the ring given to him by Pein. He rolled it around in the palm of his hand before returning it to his pocket. Orochimaru looked murderous.

"That ring is mine!" he snarled, "Give it to me, or I will take it from you!"

Gaara took a challenging stance. Jiraiya appeared by his side. The three looked ready to fight when they heard a shout.

"RASENGAN!"

They all looked in Naruto's direction as Kabuto was sent spinning into a rock. Jiraiya grinned.

"Looks like he finally got it." he said, turning back to Orochimaru, "Now it's your turn!"

"Kabuto-kun!" Orochimaru ordered. Kabuto appeared by his side & began pulling up Orochimaru's sleeve.

"No! Quick!" Tsunade exclaimed, appearing on Gaara's other side. Together, her & Jiraiya formed hand signs & slammed the ground.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" yelled four voices.

A giant smoke cloud appeared, completely covering the battlefield. As the smoke dissipated, four titanic beasts stood tall.

"Manda! Katsuyu! It certainly has been a while!" bellowed a giant red toad.

"Gamabunta… Orochimaru!" Manda hissed, "Why did you summon me here?"

"Quiet!" Orochimaru ordered, "You obey me!"

Manda's eyes narrowed, "I shall expect a hundred sacrifices for this."

"Hey, wait. Who's the new guy?" Gamabunta asked. The other two beasts, plus their riders, looked in shock.

"Kousou, our enemy is the snake & the two on his back." Gaara said to the giant sandworm.

"Hai, Gaara-sama!" Kousou exclaimed. Gaara used his Sabaku Fuyū to lift himself into the air. Kousou then leapt into the air & burrowed underground.

The sannin's summons shook as the ground beneath them moved. Suddenly, thousands of tiny sandworms erupted from the ground, crawling over Manda's body & biting him.

"Oh this just got a whole lot easier!" Gamabunta grinned, charging forward, drawing his blade.

"Katsuyu, attack!" Tsunade ordered.

"Hai Tsunade-sama!" Katsuyu replied.

* * * * *

"_Ha…hah."_

"_Huh…huh."_

"_Hoah…Hoah"_

"…"

The three sannin were keeling over, breathing heavily, their summons disappeared. Gaara stood, arms folded, staring at Orochimaru. The snake shakily straightened his posture, smirking at the three.

"It matters not." he said, "There are other ways to heal my arms. And you can keep _that._"

He looked at Gaara as he said the last part. Then he sunk into the ground, cackling. Kabuto fixed his glasses, smirked & disappeared in a Shunshin. Jiraiya & Tsunade looked at Gaara, their breath returned.

"That's quite the summon you got there." Jiraiya said.

"Yeah, what _was_ that?" Tsunade asked.

"The sandworms revere Shukaku as their god." Gaara answered.

"Their god?"

"Yes."

The three of them turned to Naruto, who was unconscious after his fight with Kabuto.

"He's really something isn't he Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked.

"No." she replied, "No first names. You know what you have to call me now."

Jiraiya grinned.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

* * * * *

"I promise, from this day forth, I will protect Konoha with my life as the godaime Hokage!" Tsunade announced.

Cheers erupted from all of Konohagakure as Tsunade gave her speech. Fireworks shot into the air & music began playing. Gaara stood among the crowd, Temari & Kankuro by his side.

"You fought Orochimaru _again_?" Temari asked, shocked. Gaara nodded.

"We are almost finished here." he said, "During our fight, I used the Shukaku's eye to see how long Orochimaru could continue to inhabit that body. He has about a week left."

Kankuro looked upset at that.

"Is that really all the time we have left?" he asked.

Gaara looked to his older brother.

"You don't have to come." he said, "You can stay here with her, if that's what you want."

Kankuro shook his head.

"Family comes first." he replied, earning a smile from Temari.

"Good boy!" she told him.

Gaara turned & left the celebrations, his siblings close behind.

"So what's there left to do?" Temari asked. Gaara sighed.

"Unfortunately, all the work I put into increasing Sasuke's hatred for Itachi will make it all the harder for me to make him change his mind." he said, "I need to use this week carefully."

As they walked through the crowd, the people illuminated by the fireworks, Gaara looked around to the faces he had grown so accustomed to in his short stay. Ino was standing on a crate, waving at a friend in the distance. Shino was leaning against a wall with his father, surveying the crowds. Kiba was grinning at the fireworks, Akamaru cowering in his jacket. It had only been a short time, but Gaara was used to these faces. They were familiar & friendly. He sighed.

"_Don't forget," _he reminded himself, _"there is a face you'd much rather see."_

Lee. The face Gaara _didn't_ want to see. He spotted him standing off to the side. Gai was standing beside him. It was now that Gaara saw the full extent of the damage he'd done. He had heard that Tsunade had visited Lee almost immediately, but clearly nothing had been done yet. Gaara did his best to avoid their gaze, he still felt the shame of what he had done.

Gaara hurried into the empty side streets, Gaara & Temari on his heels.

"Gaara, is something wrong?" Temari asked, concerned.

"I'm just not ready to face him yet." Gaara replied.

"Wow, this really hit you hard, didn't it?" Kankuro asked, frowning at Gaara.

"I'll catch up with you guys." Gaara said, walking off. Gaara turned a corner, nearly bumping into Sasuke. The two stared at each other in surprise for a second, before Gaara averted his gaze. Sasuke glared at him, but was faintly curious at this surprising show of weakness.

"Sasuke-san." Gaara said, "I see you are healed."

It was Sasuke's turn to look away.

"Yeah, I guess you were right." he replied, obviously pained at the admittance. Gaara watched Sasuke closely, as he came to a decision.

Sasuke passed Gaara, almost disappearing around the corner.

"Sasuke-san."

Sasuke paused.

"I do not wish to be your enemy anymore." Gaara said, "I apologise for the things I have done to you this past month."

Sasuke turned to face Gaara.

"Does this mean you'll answer my questions?" he asked, folding his arms. Gaara shook his head.

"Not yet." he said.

"Then keep your apology." Sasuke replied, disappearing round the corner. Gaara sighed & walked away.

He found a small park with a bench under a tree. He sat down on the bench & breathed deeply. He reached inside his pocket & pulled out the ring. He held it between his fingers, the moonlight making it shine.

"_What are you doing?" _he thought, _"You need to get your priorities in order. You have a mission. Don't lose sight of that."_

"Hey."

Gaara turned his head to the right. Sakura was standing not far from him. He hastily pocketed the ring.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked. Gaara shook his head & she smiled. She sat down.

"It's a nice night." she said, looking at the moon.

"Yeah, I always liked the night better than the day." Gaara agreed.

"I heard from Naruto that you're trying to help Lee." she said. Gaara stared at the ground.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" she added, seeing Gaara's look.

"I hope she can help him." Gaara said, thinking of Tsunade.

"From what I heard, she's the best medic-nin there is."

They fell silent. They both knew it was unlikely that an injury like Lee's could be healed easily.

"I wish I could go back & reverse my mistakes." Gaara said, still staring at the ground.

"But… if you never make any mistakes, how will you learn from them?"

"What did I learn from my fight with Lee? That deep down I'm still a monster inside?"

"Hey, you're not a monster!" Sakura exclaimed, placing her hand on Gaara's shoulder, "You made a mistake & your upset about it. That's not a monster."

Gaara looked up to Sakura, who was smiling warmly at him.

"Do you have any siblings?" he asked. She looked surprised.

"Uh… no, I don't." she answered.

"Shame, you'd make a great older sister."

Sakura blinked.

"You think so?" she asked. Gaara nodded. She smiled again.

"Now I know what to pester my parents about next!" she said brightly.

Gaara chuckled. Sakura yawned.

"Well, I'd better turn in." Sakura said. She waved to Gaara before leaving. Gaara waved back. He got up himself & headed back to the hotel.

"_They're determined to make this difficult." _Gaara thought, before smiling. In little over a week, he could be talking to _her_ in person. She was worth the wait.


	15. A word like a bond

Finally, Gaara is going to complete his mission. What is going through his mind? Am i being a tease? Ah well. I wonder what would happen if the Sandaime kazekage's iron sand jutsu got hit by Raikiri/Chidori?

**Disclaimer: Some guy told me that Naruto is a rip off of Dragonball. That guy is now a scumbag in my eyes. Masashi rules!**

* * *

A word like a bond

"Hm?"

Gaara had heard the door knock. He got to his feet & answered it, finding a genin standing before him.

"Message from the Hokage!" the genin said, handing Gaara a slip of paper. Gaara thanked the boy & closed the door. He unfolded the paper & read the writing on it. He narrowed his eyes.

"Temari! Kankuro!" he called. His siblings came out from their rooms, weary eyed & yawning.

"What?" Kankuro asked.

"It's time."

Temari & Kankuro were suddenly wide awake, rushing back into their rooms. Gaara grabbed his gourd & Sasayaki, strapped them on his back & waited. A minute later, his siblings were ready.

"I see you finally worked out how to use _that_." Gaara said, nodding at Kankuro's new bandaged bundle.

"Yeah, I've pretty much got the hang of it now." he replied, grinning.

They left the hotel room for possibly the last time & headed to Hokage tower. When they got there, they were ushered straight in. They entered the Hokage's room to find Shikamaru & Naruto standing in front of Tsunade's desk.

"Ah, you're here." Tsunade said, speaking into her hands. Gaara & his siblings stood next to the other two & waited for the Hokage to speak.

"It has recently come to my attention that last night, Uchiha Sasuke left Konoha to join Orochimaru." she said.

Naruto & Shikamaru both looked shocked.

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, "Are you serious?!"

"I'm sending you two to bring him back." Tsunade said, "Gather up a team of any other available genin & leave immediately. They are heading in the direction of the Valley of the End. If they cross Fire Country's border, there's nothing we can do, so move fast."

"What do you need us for?" Gaara asked.

"Your team are to act as backup for Shikamaru's team." Tsunade replied, "You will leave an hour after they do, to offer help if needed if anyone on Shikamaru's team who is too injured to go on. If you find someone like that, use a chakra flare to alert us. Any questions?" None were asked, "Ok, dismissed."

Naruto & Shikamaru ran out of the room. Gaara walked, his siblings behind him.

"Kankuro…" Gaara said.

"Yeah," he replied, quietly, "She's out on a mission, but I'll leave a message at her home."

Kankuro left, leaving Gaara & Temari alone.

"You ready for this?" Temari asked. Gaara looked straight ahead.

"I've been ready for nearly nine years." Gaara replied, "I'm tired of waiting."

They headed for the main gates, silent. They found Shikamaru's team already there. They really had moved fast. Gaara surveyed the people there, realizing they were no longer his allies, but his competition. Naruto was speaking to Sakura, giving her a thumbs up & a broad grin. They looked like they were about to leave.

"Shikamaru-kun, Naruto-kun," Gaara called out, "We won't be far behind."

They nodded back at him & left with the rest of the team. Sakura walked over to Gaara, she looked upset.

"Gaara-san." she said, holding back tears, "Naruto, he promised he'd bring Sasuke back, but… if he can't…"

"Sakura-san. Naruto is the only one capable of bringing him back." Gaara replied, realizing what he may have to do to his friend. Sakura nodded sadly, & walked off. Temari watched as she left.

"She really needs to grow up. People leave, it happens. She needs to accept that." she said, tutting. Gaara looked at her.

"Like you did?" he asked.

Temari fell silent. They waited for Kankuro to catch up with them. When he did, he looked a little lost.

"Kankuro, I'm sorry." Gaara told his older brother.

"Huh? Oh, it's alright." Kankuro replied, before changing to a determined look, "Lets do this!"

Gaara turned to the direction of the forest.

"_Hopefully I can get through this without hurting any of them." _he thought, _"But if I can't, then I just have to immobilize them."_

They waited the remaining hour before setting off.

"Alright lets go, we don't want them getting too far ahead." he said, running to the trees. He leapt up to the branches & left Konoha for the last time. His siblings weren't far behind.

They travelled for a few miles before finding the first casualty. Shikamaru's friend, Akamichi Choji, sitting against a tree, barely breathing. He looked like he was at deaths door. Not far from him, lay a large Oto shinobi who looked like he had been hit by a mountain. He was definitely dead. Temari used a chakra flare, as Tsunade had ordered. There was no reason to just let him die. Once she was done, they moved deeper into the woods.

The trees grew taller as they progressed further in. Like in the Forest of Death, the sunlight was obscured by the branches & leaves.

It was there that they found Neji lying on the ground, gravely injured. He had a large hole in his chest, like something had drilled straight through his flesh. Temari cast another flare after checking that he was still alive & they moved on.

"Wait." Gaara said, "There's fighting going on up ahead." he turned to his siblings, "Kankuro, you help Kiba, he's nearest. Temari, go to Shikamaru's aid. Naruto's fighting up ahead, I'll help him."

His siblings nodded & they split up.

Gaara moved as quickly as he could to catch up with Naruto. From what he could tell, Sasuke wasn't there, he'd gone on ahead. But as he got closer, Naruto left, chasing his friend. In his place was… Lee?!

Gaara's eyes widened as he realised that Lee was not only fighting, but managing to keep up with his opponent. It appeared Tsunade had successfully healed him.

Gaara, Temari & Kankuro each reached their opponents at the same time, the Oto shinobi each asking the same question.

"Who are you?"

The sand siblings each gave the same response.

"Former shinobi of Suna." Temari told the Oto kunoichi.

"Now turned missing-nin." Kankuro said.

"We are Sand Siblings." Gaara finished.

Lee stared up at Gaara, a mixture of fear & shock on his face.

"Gaara-san!" he exclaimed, his thick brows raised.

"Lee-san, please return to Konoha." Gaara said, "I will deal with _him._"

Lee unsteadily got to his feet. He glared at Gaara.

"No! I can still fight!" he replied. Gaara sighed.

"Lee-san, you can barely stand." he said, "Please let me take care of this one. I can see you are not fully recovered. If you strain your body, you'll just go through the same as before. What would Gai-san say if you hurt yourself all over again?"

Lee hesitated. He clearly didn't want Gaara's help, but his words made sense.

"Fine." he said, "I shall return to Konoha. I leave him to you."

Lee ran past Gaara with one last thing to say.

"Do not fail."

Gaara faced the white haired shinobi. When Lee was out of view, the shinobi spoke.

"If you fight me, you will die." he said, in a calm voice.

Gaara glanced back to make certain that Lee was gone before replying.

"I am not your enemy." he said, taking the shinobi by surprise, "I too wish for Uchiha Sasuke to join Orochimaru."

The other looked disbelieving.

"Why would you want that?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"The organization I work for believe that Sasuke will be more useful to them if he joins your master."

The shinobi tensed.

"Orochimaru-sama intends to make Sasuke his new body." he replied, "My mission is to ensure he gets there in time."

"Then you have failed." Gaara said, "I can see Orochimaru's remnant chakra on you. It is now too late for him use Sasuke as a body this time."

"I see…" the shinobi replied, "Then I must make sure he gets there for the next time round."

Gaara nodded.

"There is no need for us to fight." he said, "Right now, Sasuke is fighting with Uzumaki Naruto. He won't want either of us interrupting him, so it's best to leave him be until after the fight. But when the fight is over, I would like to talk with Sasuke before you take him to Orochimaru."

The shinobi paused, thinking to himself.

"Very well, I will-" he suddenly collapsed.

Gaara rushed to his side, lifting his head. The shinobi looked weak.

"My disease…" he whispered, "I am finished."

With his dying breath he uttered his last words.

"Jūgo… I'm sorry."

His head fell back. He was dead. Gaara lay his head on the grass & stood. He used the Shukaku eye to see which way Naruto & Sasuke had gone & ran to meet them. When he got their, he was surprised to find himself at the Valley of the End. What surprised him even more, was the giant statue of Madara. He passed a tree with a strange looking branch & walked to the edge of the cliff, peering down. Naruto was unconscious, Sasuke was leaning over him, two large holes in the back of his shirt. Gaara jumped off the cliff & landed not far from Sasuke, who whipped his head up in surprise.

"Sasuke-san." Gaara said, "It appears you have become stronger."

Sasuke stood straight, frowning at Gaara.

"Are you here to bring me back as well?" he asked.

"No. In fact, I encourage your joining Orochimaru." Gaara replied, to Sasuke's surprise, "I am currently working for an organization that is greatly interested in your abilities. But before I tell you more, I have come to a decision. It is time."

Sasuke looked shocked, "You mean-"

Gaara nodded sharply. He walked past Sasuke, towards the waterfall, so the roar would drown out any other sound that may reach the strange 'branch'. Sasuke followed him, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"Sasuke-san," Gaara began, "The truth about your brother is…"

* * * * *

Sasuke gaped, his eyes open to their fullest.

"Is all this true?" he asked, "I can't believe this."

Gaara watched the Uchiha as he attempted to comprehend what he had just been told.

"It's all true. He never stops thinking of you." he replied, "Even to this day, he has accepted his fate. He awaits the day you become powerful enough to kill him."

Sasuke's surprised look turned into one of pure rage.

"THE BASTARD!" he screamed, punching the wall of the cliff, "THAT GODDAMN BASTARD!"

His breathing grew heavy as he leaned against the cliff for support.

"I want to see him." he said, resting his head on his arm.

"You will." Gaara replied, "Once you become stronger, he will seek you out."

Sasuke nodded, "So… what do I do now?"

"Go to Orochimaru. Get him to train you. When you become strong enough, kill him. Itachi will find out about this & look for you."

Sasuke didn't react for a while, he just breathed heavily, water from the falls soaking him.

"Ok…" he said, getting off the rock, "I'm going."

He walked past Gaara, his eyes staring out into space. He paused.

"Gaara-san… thank you."

He ran off. Gaara stared at the spot where Sasuke had leaned against just seconds before. It was strange. The mission he had been preparing for years to complete was now over. His eyes widened in surprise as he heard a soft _thump_. He turned around, Kakashi was standing behind him.

"We were too late." he noted, looking at Naruto. Gaara sighed & nodded.

"I'll take him back to Konoha." Kakashi said, picking Naruto off the ground & placing him on his back. He glanced at Gaara before jumping up the cliff & disappearing. When he was gone, Gaara took a few steps forward.

"You can come out now." he said.

"Impressive, only one person could ever spot us before, and he's now dead. **How did you know we were here?"**

Gaara looked Zetsu up & down. He had thought Kisame was strange-looking, but this guy was on a whole other level.

"Uchiha Madara was my master, he told me all about his 'most trusted spy'."

Zetsu nodded, "Your mission is complete. I will escort you to our current base. **It's time for your initiation."**

Gaara nodded.

"Very well." he said, "But first, let me get my subordinates."

Zetsu chuckled, "You mean your siblings? **It's funny that someone so young can use the word 'subordinates'.** Or that they would remain so close with their family."

Gaara closed his eyes, annoyed.

"Umibe." he said, "Go find Temari & Kankuro. Bring them to me."

"Hai, Gaara-sama!" Umibe replied, pouring out of the gourd & blowing away in the wind.

"Alright, lets go." Gaara said, following Zetsu.

"So you were Madara's apprentice then?" Zetsu asked, "**I wonder if he told him-** quiet! If he hasn't, then telling him could cause problems! **But** **how will we know if we don't ask him?** It doesn't matter, if he knows, then he knows!"

Gaara frowned as Zetsu argued with himself.

"If you are referring to Madara's original plan for Akatsuki, then yes, I do know." he said. Zetsu snapped his head round.

"You do?" he asked, **"So what are you gonna do?"**

"Don't worry about it." Gaara replied, "I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Hey Gaara!"

Gaara looked back to see Temari & Kankuro running to meet him. Umibe, who was sitting on Temari's shoulder, flew back into Gaara's gourd.

"Who's this guy?" Kankuro asked when they caught up.

"This is the person who will take us to Leader-sama." Gaara replied, walking on.

"It's alright, I know his identity. **You can call him by name."**

"Fine, Zetsu-san will take us to Pein-san."

As they walked, Zetsu eyed Temari & Kankuro.

"Do these two know?" he asked. Gaara shook his head, **"Good job, now they're curious.** Shut up, they'll only grow more curious if you keep talking about it! **Well then you quit talking about as well!** I'm not talking about it! **Neither am I!"**

Temari & Kankuro stared at Zetsu, a look of horror on their faces.

"What the hell is wrong with this guy?!" Kankuro asked.

Zetsu whipped round & grabbed Kankuro by his face.

"Be careful of what you say, **I'm feeling hungry."** he said, licking his lips.

"What the hell are you, a cannibal?!" Kankuro exclaimed fearfully.

"That's right. **You should try it!"**

"Zetsu-san, please don't eat my brother." Gaara said calmly. Zetsu chuckled & let Kankuro go. When Zetsu had his back turned, Kankuro silently switched his body with Karasu's, hiding in the bandages.

"What kind of people are in this organization?" Temari hissed into Gaara's ear.

"S-class missing-nin." Gaara replied. Temari stepped back, not taking her eyes off Zetsu.

They travelled for the rest of the day, Zetsu often complained that if he was by, he would have been there hours ago. But eventually, they reached their destination. They stood at the base of a mountain, in front of a boulder with a seal tag attached to it. Zetsu stepped forward & placed a hand on it. The boulder groaned into life as it rolled out the way, letting them enter into a hallway. The boulder returned to its place behind them, darkness almost absolute. The only source of light came from torches attached to the walls.

The hallway opened up into a large chamber, resembling a cathedral. The stonework & pillars reaching up to the darkness attested to that. There were also stained glass windows, which were somehow shining from a strange light. There were six of the windows, three on either side. Each window revealed a different figure, one in a combat stance, souls flying from surrounding bodies. One with animals resting on his arms, the creatures looking at the figure with reverence. One with his hands in a river, drawing energy from it. Another held a figure bearing many faces & arms, evil looking shadows surrounding him. There was one that stood proud, a large, fiery gate behind him. The final one looked down on the world, light shining from his silhouette. It was clear that these were each of Pein's bodies. Apparently Pein's megalomania was even greater than Gaara thought.

Halfway across the room was a short flight of stairs. At the top of them was a large, empty pedestal, behind which stood a giant statue with two hands & many eyes. On each finger, an Akatsuki member stood. Gaara recognised some of them. Itachi & Kisame were there. Zetsu took his place on one of the fingers. On the other fingers, there was a man with blonde hair even more gravity defying than Kakashi's. There was also a short & stout figure with cornrows for hair & a rag covering his mouth. Another figure stood with dark skin & a face mask, his eyes black & green. There was also a rather tall person, his face almost completely obscured by an ornamental mask, only his eyes peering through the slits. In the shadows stood two figures, their faces unseen, but Gaara knew they could only be Pein… and Konan.

"Gaara-san." said Pein, in a voice slightly gruffer than before, telling Gaara this was a different body, "So you finally made it. Please step forward."

Gaara held a hand up, telling Temari & Kankuro to wait. He climbed the stairs, stood before the pedestal & looked up at the figures above him.

"Allow me to make the introductions." Pein said, "You already know these two." he pointed to Itachi & Kisame, he then gestured towards the two masked men, "This is Kakuzu-san, head of our finances, & his partner, Higaisha-san."

Gaara nodded to the two, they didn't return the nod.

"This is Zetsu-san, our spy." Pein continued, then gestured to the short man, "This is Sasori-san."

Pein was interrupted by a cry from Kankuro who which was soon muffled by Temari.

"My apologies." Gaara said, bowing, "My brother is a fan."

Sasori cast a glance at the packages on Kankuro's back, nodded & returned to staring at Gaara. Pein gestured to the blonde man.

"And finally, this is Deidara-san." he said. Deidara gave a small wave to Gaara, revealing a mouth on his palm.

"Now, Gaara-san." Pein said, "I believe you have already heard of the oath that each member of Akatsuki must take?"

Gaara nodded.

"Very well, mould your chakra." Pein ordered. When Gaara did so, he formed a hand sign. Suddenly, a large fiend appeared, a giant head looking down upon Gaara, grinning maliciously. He faltered for a second under the presence of the thing, but soon regained his composure.

"Do you, Gaara of Sunagakure, vow to stand beside your fellow members of Akatsuki & to ultimately meet Akatsuki's goal, no matter the risk to your life & limb?" Pein asked.

"I do." Gaara replied.

"Say it."

"I, Gaara of Sunagakure, vow to stand beside my fellow members of Akatsuki & to ultimately meet Akatsuki's goal, no matter the risk to my life & limb."

"Tell us your reason for joining Akatsuki."

Gaara thought carefully, chose his words & spoke.

"I wish to find out the true worth of my existence." he said, "I want to make my mark on history, so I will never cease to exist. My reason for joining Akatsuki is 'existence'."

Pein paused, as if waiting for something to happen. The giant head faded away. Pein looked down to Gaara.

"Well done, Gaara-san, welcome to Akatsuki." he said, "Please place your ring on your left little finger."

Gaara complied. When he did, he felt a slight tingling sensation.

"The ring has now adapted to your chakra." Pein said, "You can use it to contact your fellow members of Akatsuki, but you cannot remove it. Now you are a full member of Akatsuki. Congratulations."

He then spoke up to the other members.

"We have three years before we officially start our search for the Jinchūriki." he said, "Until then, you are to travel across the nations, doing missions for less than the offered price. As always, you are to give 60% of your profits to Akatsuki. The rest is yours to keep. Gaara-san, we are yet to find a partner for you, so we will assign you to Sasori-san & Deidara-san for now. All of you, dismissed."

Pein turned & left the cathedral through a side door. Konan waved to Gaara before following him. Deidara jumped from the finger he stood on & walked over to Gaara.

"Hey Gaara-san." he said, grinning, "You & your siblings are going to working with us, un?"

Gaara looked back to Temari & Kankuro, gesturing for them to come over. When they did, he introduced them.

"This is my eldest sister, Temari & my older brother, Kankuro." he said, both his siblings bowing to Deidara.

"Hey, no need for that!" Deidara grinned, "You can relax, just be cool. This is gonna be a blast, un!"

"Shut up & move." Sasori ordered, passing Deidara without looking at him. Deidara smirked.

"One thing you should know about Sasori no Danna, is that he hates waiting & making people wait, un."

"So, wait a minute." Kankuro butted in, "We're gonna be working with _Akasuna no Sasori_?!"

Deidara scoffed, "You know, his art has got nothing on mine, un!"

"I SAID MOVE!" Sasori yelled. Deidara sighed & followed Sasori, as did Gaara & his siblings.

"This is gonna suck." Temari said.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Kankuro exclaimed.

"_This is the first step… are you watching?" _Gaara thought.


	16. The true power of human sacrifice

Another long one here. i'm starting to get that feeling yu get when you realise something you've already mentioned is going to affect the rest of the story in a way you hadn't realised. Ah well, nothng i can't fix. BTW, if Konan uses paper as her jutsu, doesn't that mean she could also use wood style, seeing as paper is made with wood & water? Or is that one of those yin/yang nature things? And is this pairing completely random?

Disclaimer: If you read the message on my homepage, you'd see that i couldn't own naruto.

**

* * *

**

**The true power of human sacrifice**

Sand blew through the air, nearly completely obscuring what little there was to see. Three figures crossed the dunes, each of them wearing sedge hats & black cloaks with red clouds.

"I can't believe I'm here again." Sasori said

"Yeah, I thought I'd never have to return here again." Gaara agreed.

Gaara, Sasori & Deidara were travelling through the Land of Wind, coming close to Sunagakure. There had been rumours that Suna had developed a weapon even more powerful than the Jinchūriki they had lost. It was their mission to find out if the rumours were true &, if they were, either steal or destroy the weapon. For some reason, Sasori's spies hadn't made contact in a while, so Gaara sent Temari & Kankuro ahead as scouts.

"So what's the big deal with Sunagakure, is it really as bad as you say it is, un?" Deidara asked.

Gaara glanced at the volatile artist.

"You remember how Iwa reacted to your art?" he asked. Deidara nodded, "Well, Suna is different. They wouldn't give a damn about your art as long as you killed as many of their enemies as possible. In the end, your art would lose what made it unique. It would become nameless & faceless."

Deidara frowned, "So it's the opposite, but worse, un."

Through the three years Gaara had spent with Akatsuki, he had assisted in many missions with each of the other members, the exceptions being Pein, Konan & Zetsu. He had worked with Deidara on many occasions. Not so much with Sasori, he spent most of his time checking up on his spies. He had even helped Kakuzu in finding Hidan, Akatsuki's newest member. He had gotten to know each member well. He didn't know much about their pasts, they never really liked talking about it, but Gaara had seen a lot in their eyes.

"Damn it's hot." Deidara complained, "I don't know how you two managed to live here so long, un."

Gaara had to agree. He hadn't been in Sunagakure since he left for the chunin exams & he was no longer used to the heat. He loosened some of the buttons on his cloak, welcoming the slight breeze.

"There it is." Sasori said.

Sunagakure stood before them, the surrounding walls beaten by the countless sandstorms that passed through. Guards were stationed on the walls, but there weren't many of them. As the trio got closer, the guards began to notice them, but for some reason, they didn't react.

"How strange." Deidara said, "They're practically ignoring us, un."

"Perhaps they're expecting us." Gaara offered.

"Which means your siblings got caught." Sasori replied.

Gaara doubted that. Temari wouldn't have gotten too close without a perfect strategy. Even if they were captured, they wouldn't speak.

As they drew nearer, one of the guards stepped forward to meet them.

"This place is forbidden to outsiders." the guard stated, "Turn around & leave."

Deidara stepped forward.

"It would be best if you got out of our way, un." he said in a serious voice.

"I'll say it again, turn around & leave."

Gaara walked up to the guard until he was face to face.

"Get out of the way Baki." he ordered. Baki paled.

"Y-y-you…" he stammered. But his fear changed to anger, "Treacherous scum, you will die for abandoning Suna!"

But before Baki could make a move, he was thrown aside by a wave of sand. He rolled across the ground, groaning. He looked up & paled again. He was face to face with the blade of a beautiful naginata, glowing with a pale blue light. Gaara stared at his former 'sensei' with a look of complete apathy. Gaara whipped Sasayaki around & cracked the safe end on Baki's head, rendering him unconscious.

"Alright, lets go." Sasori said, entering the shaded entrance of Suna, Gaara & Deidara followed. They entered the streets of Sunagakure. Gaara paused.

The place was nothing like he remembered. It was a shadow of its former self. All the inhabitants looked weary, unwilling to do much of anything. The buildings were run down & the streets were filled with homeless people, huddling in the shade.

"What happened here?" Gaara asked, looking at the places he was once so familiar with, now unrecognisable.

"With three Kazekage dying mysteriously," Sasori replied, "The people believed that there was someone inside that was weakening Suna. This led to many civil wars. Also, no-one else wanted to take the position as the next Kazekage for fear of their own life. But what really hit the last nail in the coffin was when their most powerful shinobi abandoned them. With no Kazekage & no Jinchūriki, Suna was easy pickings for other countries."

Sasori glanced to Gaara, "Basically, you have destroyed Suna."

Gaara surveyed the streets again with a new perspective.

"I did this." he said, feeling numb. Sasori chuckled.

"Yep, I guess this means I owe you one." he said.

"No problem, you can just train my brother." Gaara replied. Sasori shook his head.

"Not in this lifetime." he said.

"Man this place is a dump." Deidara said, distastefully, "It's not even worth turning into art, un."

Sasori grunted.

"Find out what you can about this 'weapon'." he said.

"I'll locate my siblings, they must have gathered something." Gaara replied, as the three split up. He walked through the streets, when something occurred to him.

"_If enemy countries have been attacking Sunagakure, then how is there even a single shinobi left here? And why isn't there a presence of another country?"_

Gaara activated his eye of Shukaku to see if he could find Temari & Kankuro's Remnant chakra. He couldn't see Temari's, but there was a faint hint of Kankuro's. He paled as he saw the state of the chakra. Kankuro was badly hurt. Gaara ran after the chakra trail, desperation rising in his gut. Civilians stepped out of his way in fear as he hurtled through the streets. The trail was getting weaker, which meant Kankuro was too. The trail entered into a building. Gaara barged in, past a surprised family & flew up a flight of stairs, into a bedroom.

Kankuro was lying in a bed, unconscious. Gaara faltered as he saw his older brother.

"Kankuro…" Gaara whispered, kneeling next to him.

Kankuro was covered in bruises & dried blood. Some of his wounds were bandaged, but most looked like they just had something pressed against them to stem the bleeding. Gaara felt his eyes watering. He pressed his face into the quilt, growling in the effort of suppressing his tears.

"…g…Gaara."

Gaara lifted his head, Kankuro was looking at him, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Kankuro!" Gaara exclaimed.

"Wh-where's Temari?"

Gaara froze.

"You don't know?" he asked fearfully.

The two brothers stared at each other, a look of horror in their eyes.

"What happened?" Gaara asked.

Kankuro attempted to sit up, but he was in too much pain.

"We were asking around town about what had happened here." he replied, wincing as he turned on his side, "But the people wouldn't speak to us, they were afraid of outsiders. Everywhere we went, it was the same. But then someone approached us."

"Who?"

"I don't know, I couldn't see his face. But he…"

Kankuro snapped upright, ignoring the pain & grabbed Gaara by the cloak.

"He used the sand around him as a weapon, just like you do!"

Gaara stared at his brother. Did he just say…?

Gaara pulled back his sleeve & channelled chakra into his ring.

He found himself back in Amegakure, in the throne room. Pein turned from the window as he sensed Gaara's presence.

"Gaara-san, how goes-"

"Where's the Ichibi?!" Gaara demanded.

Pein frowned at him.

"The Ichibi?" he repeated, "Madara kept it in the Suna hideout, why do you ask?"

"My brother encountered someone who also uses the sand." Gaara replied, "Only someone who possesses the Shukaku's chakra can do that."

Pein got to his feet.

"Go to the hideout." he ordered, "Confirm that the Ichibi is missing. If that's the case, locate it & bring it to us. Hurry!"

"Hai!"

Gaara faded back into Suna. He re-channelled chakra into his ring to contact Sasori & Deidara.

"Sasori-san, Deidara-san." he said, "I have reason to believe that Suna has retrieved the Ichibi & sealed it inside someone. I'm going to check it out."

"_Ok." _Deidara replied, _"Let us know what you find out, un."_

"_But don't keep us waiting." _Sasori added.

"Ok. Also, my sister has disappeared. Please keep an eye out for her."

"_Temari-chan is missing?" _Deidara repeated, _"I'll take to the sky, see if I can find her."_

"Thank you."

Gaara looked to Kankuro, "How's your chakra?"

Kankuro blinked & formed his hands into a seal.

"It's fine, my injuries are just flesh wounds." he replied.

"Good. Use Karasu to get around, I need to check something & I can't leave you here."

Kankuro nodded & did so. The two of them left the building & headed in the direction of the place Madara had taken Gaara to all those years ago.

But despite the severity of the situation, Gaara's thoughts were constantly returning to Temari. Where is she? Is she ok? Is she hurt?

It didn't take long to find the correct building, but they nearly missed it. The place was even more derelict than before. The door was missing, so the two stepped in & began their ascent of the stairs. With Gaara's thoughts weighing him down, the journey seemed to take forever. But eventually, they reached the top floor.

Gaara stepped into the room he had occupied only once before. It was a complete wreck. The furniture was slashed & broken, the walls spattered with blood & Madara's painting stolen. Gaara walked around the room, taking in the sights that had once appeared so wondrous & terrifying. But something was new. There was a cabinet placed against the far-side wall, broken glass scattered on & around it. Through the Shukaku's eye, Gaara saw that a powerful genjutsu had been cast here, but faded away. The teakettle had spent many years here, judging by the powerful, but old Remnant chakra present. This confirmed his fears. He activated his ring again & contacted Pein, who was awaiting Gaara.

"It is confirmed. The Ichibi is missing." Gaara said.

"Find it. Re-capture it & head for our nearest base." Pein ordered.

"Hai." Gaara replied, returning to the room.

"Sasori-san, Deidara-san, the Ichibi is gone." Gaara said, "I will try to follow its chakra. I'll need a birds eye view."

"_I'm on my way."_ Deidara replied, _"I'll meet you on the roof, un."_

Gaara & Kankuro both made it to the roof, where they saw Deidara in the sky on his clay bird. He landed near them & they leapt on. The bird took back to the sky & began circling Suna. Gaara scanned the scene below him.

"You see anything, un?"

"No. Nothing yet." Gaara replied, "Wait, what's _that_?!"

Deidara used his scope to see what Gaara was talking about.

"It looks like…un?" he began.

A large amount of sand was blowing through the streets below, focused & with direction. The cloud turned corners at great speed, almost like it was going somewhere. Gaara used his Shukaku eye to get a better look. The cloud was radiating with the Ichibi's chakra.

"It's the Ichibi." Gaara said, "That's the Subaku Shunshin."

Deidara nodded, "Looks like Suna's weapon is a new Jinchūriki. But where's it going?"

"Wait." came a voice. Gaara froze.

"Umibe…"

"Are you saying Shukaku-sama is down there?"

Gaara winced. This could be a problem.

"The Shukaku is sealed both within myself & that individual." Gaara said, "Umibe, that person is misusing the Shukaku's power. But that same person does possess the vast majority of the Shukaku. If you wish to leave & join that person, then you & I will have to face each other."

Umibe was silent for a while.

"My people believe that the Shukaku will act as a gateway to our messiah." he said, "Most of us confused that with the Shukaku himself being our god. I may be young, but I studied our scriptures obsessively. The Shukaku isn't our god. It's the person who uses the power of the Shukaku for the best that we worship. You are our god, Gaara-sama."

Gaara blinked.

"Umibe… are you sure?"

"Hai, Gaara-sama!" Umibe replied, in his usual, happy voice. Gaara smiled.

"Thank you."

It was then that he realized Deidara was staring at him.

"Who are you talking to, un?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later. We have to capture the Ichibi."

"Right." Deidara said, before revealing his ring, "Sasori no Danna, we are currently pursuing the Ichibi. We will try to lead him outside of Suna, un."

Deidara paused as Sasori replied. He smirked.

"My art cannot be 'restrained'." he said, letting his sleeve cover his hand again, "Gaara-kun, we are going to divert the Ichibi to the main gate. You distract it while I prepare my art, un."

Gaara nodded & leapt off the clay bird, plummeting to the ground. He used his Sabaku Fuyū to fly over the Ichibi. He landed at the end of the street the sand cloud was flying through. The cloud stopped abruptly as Gaara stood in its path. The sand began to spiral into a small tornado & from that tornado, a boy stepped out.

Gaara's eyes widened as he looked at a near-mirror reflection of his younger self. The boy was only a few years younger than him, with the same red hair, the same sleep deprived eyes, even the same kanji on his forehead. The only difference was slightly lighter skin & the look in the boy's eyes.

"_This person has been moulded in my image." _Gaara thought._ "And he's been completely corrupted by the Ichibi." _

The child stared at him.

"He knows you." the child said, emotionlessly, "He is angry at you."

The boy's face changed into a malicious grin. When he spoke, a raspier voice came out.

"You thought you had silenced him." the boy said, "You really thought your words were enough to suppress his will?"

The boy then laughed in a beastial manner.

"You were wrong. He simply found a new body to play with."

Gaara didn't show any reaction to the boy's words.

"But he is dissatisfied." the boy continued, "I is nothing compared to what you were. If only you weren't so caring, so _human._"

"Where's Temari?" Gaara demanded. The boy's grin fell.

"Ah, _her. _The person who kept you from him. She's still alive." his grin returned as he saw the look of relief Gaara had desperately tried to hold back, "I want you to watch her die. Then you will once again be his. Forever."

The boy turned back into the sand cloud & began flying in the other direction. Gaara raced after the cloud. He was not going to let Temari die. Not if he had breath in his body.

He chased the cloud through the streets of Suna, growing enraged at the insane cackles coming from his quarry. A woman ahead turned & screamed as the cloud passed straight through her. Gaara ran past, not daring to look at her.

He chased the Shukaku through the main gates to outside of Suna, where the cloud stopped & formed back into the boy. The boy faced Gaara & raised a hand. The sand moved away to reveal a heap buried just beneath the surface. At Gaara's face, the boy smirked.

"Don't worry. She's still alive." the boy said, "I wouldn't dare allow her to die before this."

Temari was lifted into the air by the sand, which began to envelope her feet & rise up her legs. Gaara threw his arm forward, the sand slowing. The boy wore the same insane grin Gaara had once used.

"Don't resist." he said, "Her death will make you stronger!"

Gaara ignored him as he threw his other hand forward. The sand came to a complete stop, even beginning to recede. The boy frowned & concentrated. The sand began to rise again, up Temari's legs, her thighs, her stomach.

"AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!" Gaara screamed with effort, but he was fighting a losing battle. The sand rose past her chest, to her neck & the boy looked at Gaara, his evil grin widening.

"SUBAKU-"

Suddenly, explosions blinded both Gaara and the boy, smoke & sand completely obscuring their vision. When they could see again, Temari was gone.

"I've got her!" Deidara cried, Temari wrapped in the tail of his clay bird. The boy snarled & raised his hand.

"NO!" Gaara screamed, lunging at the boy & grabbing his wrists. The two stared at each other, both faces revealing pure hatred.

"Why?" the boy demanded, "Why would you fight so hard for her?"

"Because she is my sister!" Gaara yelled, "And I love her!"

The boy roared, his body covering itself in sand. Gaara leapt back as the boy transformed into a beast. The boy looked at Gaara & grinned manically.

"I will show you that love only makes you weak!" the boy roared, growing in size. The desert sand rushed to the boy as he grew into a giant tanuki. The thing was immense. It was the size of a mountain. From the forehead, the boy rose out of the sand & looked down to Gaara.

"FEEL THE POWER OF MY EXISTENCE!" the boy roared, forming a hand sign, "TANUKI NEIRI NO JUTSU!"

The boy fell forward, asleep. The tanuki shivered as the eyes changed. No-one moved as the tanuki slowly looked down to Gaara.

"Now you will see." the Shukaku whispered, a tendril of sand erupting from its leg, aimed straight at Gaara, who dodged it. More tendrils shot out, but Gaara dodged them all.

"Gaara-san!" Sasori called, coming out from the gates, "Attack the boy!"

Gaara nodded & faced the Shukaku. He focused chakra into three places. His arm, his right eye & the bottom of his spine. They all transformed, giving him the arm, eye & tail of the Shukaku. He ran & threw the arm at one of the tendrils, pulling himself into the air. The then wrapped the tail around another tendril & swung around it, grabbing onto another tendril. He dodged the Shukaku's attacks by using the eye to see the chakra's purpose. The Shukaku wasn't paying him its full attention, however, as Deidara was launching bombs at it from all angles. Gaara leapt onto the Shukaku's head & sprinted towards the sleeping boy. He pulled the arm back and punched the boy, who was pushed back several feet. But the boy didn't wake, his jutsu was too strong. Gaara leapt back off the Shukaku as he felt the sand shift around his feet. He used his Subaku Fuyū to remain airborne & flew at the boy. He turned in the air so he was upside down & drew Sasayaki.

"_It's good that I saved this." _he thought, turning Sasayaki so the bladeless point was facing the boy. He thrust forward, the tip striking the boy in the chest.

The effect was instantaneous. The boy screamed as Sasuke's Chidori struck him full force.

"NOOOOO!!!" the Shukaku roared, as he started to disperse. Deidara flew through the falling sand & grabbed the boy with his bird's beak. Gaara landed on the bird's back, where Kankuro was sitting with Temari's head resting on his lap.

"Temari?" Gaara said, stroking his sisters cheek, but there was no reaction. Deidara landed his bird, allowing Sasori to get on as well.

"Let me see her." Sasori said, shoving Gaara out of the way. He studied her closely.

"Hmm. She's got some bruises." he stated, "Slight oxygen starvation. We need to get some air in her lungs." he looked to Deidara.

"Got it." Deidara said, stepping forward & rolling back his sleeve. He moved his hand toward Temari's mouth & covered it, before breathing deeply.

"What is he doing?" Kankuro asked.

"He is taking in air," Sasori replied, "And transferring it into your sister."

"…dude, he's doing what to my sister?" Kankuro asked, looking at Deidara incredulously.

"Do you want her to live?" Sasori asked.

"Yeah, of course but-"

"Then shut up."

Kankuro nodded & looked down to Temari, slightly disgusted as her chest began to heave. After a short while with no reaction, she slowly opened her eyes. She tried to say something, but realized her mouth was covered. When she saw Deidara kneeling over her, her eyes slowly lowered to her mouth. She gave a muffled scream as she swatted Deidara's hand away.

"Sorry." Deidara said, rubbing the back of his head, "It kinda has a mind of its own."

Temari stared at him, appalled.

"Why the hell were you doing that?" she demanded. Gaara touched her shoulder.

"Temari, Deidara-san just saved your life." he said.

"Huh?" she looked at Gaara, "He did?"

Gaara nodded.

"Oh. Sorry. Thanks." she mumbled to Deidara, who was looking at her warily.

"Its alright." he replied, smiling nervously.

"Are you done?" Sasori asked, impatiently, "We've got a Bijū to extract."

"Right, lets fly, it's quicker." Deidara said, the clay bird taking off.

The journey wasn't nearly as long as it had been when they had walked, but it still took a while. Sasori had already contacted Pein, confirming their success. Temari had sat silently, her arms wrapped around her legs. Every now & then she would glance up at Deidara, but not say anything. Gaara & Kankuro both sat beside her, both watching her with concerned eyes.

"Alright, we're here." Deidara said, landing the clay bird on a river. Everyone jumped off & the bird disappeared, turning into a smaller one sitting in Deidara's hand. He dropped the bird in his clay pouch & turned to the boulder blocking the entrance. The boy was lying on Sasori's back, still unconscious. Deidara activated the seal on the boulder & it rolled out of the way.

Gaara turned to his siblings, "This could take a while. Go find a place to rest, I'll find you as soon as we're done."

Temari & Kankuro nodded & left. The rest of the group walked into the cavern, the boulder rolling back into place.

"Ah, you're here." said the holographic image of Pein, standing on the statue from the cathedral.

"What kept you?" Kisame's image asked, "I thought you didn't like to keep people waiting, Sasori-san."

"Lets get this over with." Sasori grumbled, dropping the boy on the ground.

He, Gaara & Deidara each leapt up to their respective finger. Gaara noted that they were the only ones physically there.

"How long is this damn thing going to take?" Hidan asked.

"We are currently missing a member." Pein said, glancing at the empty spot were Konan should have been. "She had very important matters to attend to."

But even the hologram couldn't hide the angry look in Pein's eyes.

"Heh heh." Kisame chuckled. "Trouble in paradise?"

"With her gone," Pein said, ignoring Kisame's jibe, "It will take about three days to extract the Ichibi."

"THREE FUCKING DAYS?!" Hidan exclaimed.

"Mind your language when speaking to Leader-sama." Kakuzu said, earning a glare from Hidan.

"Don't tell me what I can't say, asshole!" he yelled.

"Enough." Pein said, silencing the two, "This will already take long enough without your bickering. Now let us begin."

Everyone formed a hand sign, focusing their chakra into their rings.

"Fūinjutsu: Genryū Kyū Fūjin!" Pein called. The mouth of the statue opened up & nine dragons of chakra emerged, snaking towards the boy & enveloping him. The boy was lifted into the air, the Shukaku's chakra pouring out of his mouth & eyes. Gaara could feel his chakra being pulled out of his body, it was an uncomfortable feeling. These next three days were going to be difficult. Hidan's incessant complaining didn't help either. Kakuzu often scolded Hidan for it, resulting in the two arguing loudly until Pein silenced them. But Gaara barely noticed it, his mind on other things.

Throughout the time he had been with Akatsuki, he had watched her from a distance. He hadn't the chance to be close with her yet, almost never being in the same place, often seeing only her holographic image, or her seeing his. Gaara couldn't help but wonder what business she could have that would keep her from being here, doing the very thing that was Akatsuki's purpose.

"_Has he discovered your true agenda?" _he wondered, _"Has he done something to you?"_

Gaara felt eyes upon him. He looked up to see Pein watching him.

"_Why are you staring at me? Do you know the truth?"_

Gaara averted his gaze. If Pein knew the truth about his intentions, it was all over. Pein could never find out about Gaara's feelings, or it would mean death.

"We have visitors. They are Konoha shinobi."

Gaara's ears pricked up as he heard Zetsu speak. What were Konoha shinobi doing here?

"Who is it?" Pein asked.

"There is Hatake Kakashi, **Ebizo of Suna**, Haruno Sakura & **Uzumaki Naruto."**

Gaara froze. _Them?_

"There is also another team, consisting of Maito Gai, **Hyuuga Neji**, Tenten & **Rock Lee."**

Gaara paled. Them too? Pein nodded.

"Your information is as valuable as ever." he said, "Alright, Deidara-san, Gaara-san." Pein said, "Focus more chakra so-"

"We will do it." Itachi interrupted, "We are nearer to them."

"I have the most chakra out of all of us, so we won't be losing out much." Kisame added, before muttering, "And I have a score to settle." Pein nodded.

"Very well. We will use thirty percent of your chakra."

Kisame blinked, "Only thirty?"

"Yes." Pein replied, "Any more & we risk not having enough to complete the ritual."

"That is fine." Itachi said.

"Besides." Deidara added, "We only need to slow them down. This shouldn't take much longer, un."

"Lets begin." Pein said, "Shōten no Jutsu!"

Both Itachi & Kisame's images flickered as they re-focused their chakra. They both had their eyes closed, as if their minds were somewhere else.

Time passed in relative silence. All that could be heard was the slight groaning coming from the boy & the creaking as one of the statue's eyes slowly opened. After a while, Itachi & Kisame opened their eyes.

"They're strong." Kisame grinned, "That was a good fight."

Itachi stood silently.

"Good work, they have been slowed down enough." Pein said, lowering his hands, "We are done here."

As he said this, the dragons receded back into the mouth of the statue, one of the eyes fully open.

"Good." Sasori replied, "I hate to wait & baka, I can see you."

Deidara, who had been mouthing along with Sasori's words, smirked.

"Sorry Sasori no Danna." he said, before turning to Itachi, "So the Kyuubi is heading our way? We may have to face him. What can you tell us about him? Un."

Itachi didn't reply. Deidara got annoyed.

"Hey, teme, I'm talking to you!"

"Itachi-san, please tell them what you know." Pein asked. Itachi paused for a second before replying.

"He is the one who will scream & run at you." he said, disappearing.

"Is that all?!" Deidara demanded.

"Believe me, it's more than enough." Kisame replied, disappearing as well.

"Finally, I can get out of this fucking swamp." Hidan said, vanishing. Kakuzu & Zetsu left wordlessly. All that was left was Gaara, Deidara, Sasori & Pein.

"I'll leave the Kyuubi to you two." Pein said, "Gaara, you captured the Ichibi, so you have met your quota. Come to Amegakure, we wish to speak with you in person."

Gaara nodded as Pein dissipated. The three of them leapt off the statue as it sunk into the ground. They turned to face the entrance, Deidara sitting on the boy's body. Gaara & Sasori looked at the artist with distaste.

Suddenly, the boulder exploded into chunks, four figures leaping in. They were Ebizo, Sakura, Kakashi &-

"Gaara?!" Naruto yelled in surprise.


	17. Two souls entwined

**Sorry for the long wait. I've been working from another location on a laptop, so writing this chapter has been murder. i should warn you, this one's a bit of a filler. it doesn't have much to do with anything. but i promise that things will get very exciting very soon, so bear with me.**

**Disclaimer: right now, the only thing i own are 4 & 1/2 boxes of pocky.**

* * *

Two souls entwined

Everyone was looking between Gaara & Naruto, unsure of just what was going on. Ebizu's eyes kept jumping from Gaara to Sasori, his expression a sad one. Gaara took a step forward to his one time friend.

"Naruto-kun," he said, "It has been a while."

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, before realization dawned upon him, "OH! You knew about this as well, and came to assist us!"

Kakashi touched Naruto on the shoulder, "Naruto-kun, you should already know this. Look at what he's wearing."

Naruto blinked & looked at Gaara's cloak. He paused for a few seconds, as if unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

"You- you're in Akatsuki?" he asked in a disbelieving voice, "But, I thought you were..."

"I am, but not in the same way that you are."

"But... why?"

Gaara could barely look Naruto in the eye.

"A long time ago," he said, "I made a promise to a certain someone. I will not go back on or bend my words. I am bound to Akatsuki because of this."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"So... you are being forced to stay with Akatsuki, by your own word..." he said, before grinning & holding up his thumb, "All right then. I promise, I will defeat Akatsuki & save you!"

Gaara frowned at Naruto. Was he really this dense?

"No, Naruto-kun. Please let me keep my word." he replied.

"Why? What's so important that you'd face against your own friends?!" Naruto demanded. Gaara looked to his comrades. Deidara & Sasori nodded.

"Alright then, Naruto-kun." Gaara said, smirking at the boy, "I will tell you."

* * * * *

"I leave it to you to make your decision." Gaara said, using the Subaku Shunshin to leave before Naruto could reply. Naruto turned to face Deidara & Sasori,

"You two." he growled, "LETS DO THIS!"

As he ran at the two of them, Deidara smirked.

"The one who'll scream & run at you," he said, "Itachi actually described him pretty well."

* * * * *

Gaara reappeared at the spot his siblings were resting at.

"Temari, Kankuro, we're leaving."

His siblings looked up at him.

"Where's Sasori-san & Deidara-kun?" Temari asked.

"Aw, you miss mouthy?" Kankuro jested, before cowering under Temari's glare.

"I don't miss him!" she yelled, indignantly, "The guy saved my life, ok?!"

"Ok! Ok! Geez." Kankuro muttered, packing away his equipment.

"They are currently engaging Konoha Shinobi." Gaara said, "But I doubt they will have too much trouble."

Temari calmed down & packed her things away as well. They turned to Gaara.

"Where now?" Temari asked.

"I have been summoned to Amegakure." Gaara replied.

Both Temari & Kankuro looked at him.

"What does _he _want you for?" Temari asked. Gaara shook his head.

"I don't know. He probably wishes to speak about an issue too important to risk being overheard."

Temari frowned & nodded. Gaara turned in the direction of Amegakure.

"Fortunately, we are not far from Ame." he said, "It shouldn't take us long to get there."

Temari was looking uncomfortable as they walked. She often glanced back, a concerned look on her face.

"Are you alright?" Gaara asked. Temari blinked & looked at him.

"Wha- oh, yeah, I'm fine." She replied, before speeding up so she was walking beside Gaara. But Gaara continued to watch her, disliking her unease.

"It's unusual for you to care so much about the fate of a man like Deidara." He told her. She blushed lightly.

"I owe him one." She replied, "I hate to think that he's hurt while I could be helping him."

"You know the kind of person Deidara is. He hates for anything to get in the way of his art."

Temari looked to the ground.

"That's the thing." She said, "I don't really know anything about him."

Gaara looked up to the sky, picturing Deidara flying over on his clay bird, grinning & giving a wave.

"He's a good person." Gaara said, "His only crime is loving something too much. He appreciates beauty where others miss it, or ignore it. He's passionate, yet sensitive & devoted. I suppose he is the kind of person that women would throw themselves for. But I believe there's something more to him."

Temari was listening intently, her eyes wide, "Something more?" Gaara nodded.

"He believes that art is fleeting. That true beauty lasts only for a second, before fading away. But, then he talks about how one day he will become his ultimate masterpiece. Is that what he's waiting for? The chance to die in his own way? He doesn't see a future for himself. He's afraid of time, of what it might do to him. He needs someone to show him that there is more to life than just that fleeting moment. It would take a very special person to change his mind, to stop the fear in his heart."

He turned to Temari.

"Do you think you are that person?" he asked. Temari looked away.

"I didn't know all that." She said, "Maybe, but what could I do for him?"

"The same you did for me."

Temari blinked & looked to her little brother.

"True power doesn't come from your jutsu or your abilities as a ninja." He said, "That power comes from your ability to love others, no matter what they do. If you love someone like that, you can protect them from any harm that may come to them."

He then placed a hand on Temari's shoulder. She was giving him her undivided attention.

"In that case, you are perhaps one of the most powerful people I have ever met." He finished.

Temari blinked back tears. She looked at Gaara, gave a small smile & hugged him. Gaara's brow rose. He wasn't used to this situation. Tentatively, he returned the hug.

"Hey guys," Kankuro called, "We're here."

Temari gasped at what she saw. Gaara shared her sentiments.

Smoke was billowing from Amegakure. Small fires could be seen in the night & cries were heard echoing through the darkness.

"So it has finally begun." Gaara noted.

"What?" Temari asked, "What's begun?"

"The final struggle for Amegakure." He replied.

They walked to the gates, which were devoid of their usual platoon of guards. Shinobi were running through the streets, some carrying wounded, others wounded themselves. Kunai & shuriken flew through the air, some heading straight for the three of them. Gaara's sand blocked the projectiles, but all the same, they ran to the tower as fast as they could.

They reached the tower & burst through the doors, where they were met by a dozen Shinobi.

"Gaara-sama!" the commanding officer exclaimed, before giving the order to his men, "Stand down!"

Gaara nodded to the commander & walked past him, his siblings following. They made their way up the staircase, Gaara elevating them with the sand. They reached the correct floor & knocked on the door.

"Come in." said the voice from inside.

"You two wait here." Gaara told his siblings, entering the room & closing the door behind him. Pein was at his usual place by the window.

"Gaara-san." He said, "You're here."

Gaara bowed, "You summoned me?"

"Yes. It has come to my attention that during your stay in Konohagakure, you were close to one Uzumaki Naruto, or the Kyuubi Jinchūriki."

From the shadows came another of Pein's bodies. This one had even spikier hair, looked older & had piercings on his face following the same lines as Itachi's creases. That Pein walked over to Gaara & placed a hand on him.

"This is my Naraka Realm. He was the one who handled your initiation." The Yahiko Pein said.

"So each of your bodies has names?" Gaara asked.

"Yes. This one is my Deva Realm."

"And the one that killed Madara?"

"That was my Human realm. The others are the Preta, Asura & Animal Realms."

"Gaara-san." Naraka said, "With this body I can determine if you are speaking honestly or not."

As he said this, the large head appeared behind him.

"Now, I want to know, will your relationship with Uzumaki Naruto, or anyone close to him, jeopardise your mission?"

Gaara looked Naraka in the eye.

"It will not." He replied.

Naraka stared at Gaara for a second. He nodded & released him, the head disappearing.

"I apologise for the interrogation." Naraka said, "But it was necessary."

Gaara bowed, "I understand. Is there anything else?"

"Yes." Deva said stepping forward, "You are to go & assist Kakuzu & Hidan in their search for the Nibi. They are on their way to Kumogakure, I have already alerted them."

Gaara nodded & turned to leave. But he paused before opening the door.

"Do you know of the fates of Sasori & Deidara?" he asked.

"Their battle did not go well. Sasori was killed & one of Deidara's arms was removed from him. He managed to retrieve it & Zetsu is currently preserving it. When Kakuzu is finished capturing the Nibi, I will have him re-attach it."

Gaara nodded & left. Temari & Kankuro were waiting patiently for him.

"We're going to Kumogakure." He said, "We are to assist Kakuzu & Hidan in their search for the Nibi."

"Ok." Temari replied, distaste evident in her voice. She didn't much like either of them.

They walked into the noisy streets. The sun was rising into a blood red sky, dark clouds whirling above Amegakure.

"We should leave." Gaara said, "It's about to rain."

They ran through the streets, heading for the main gates. Everywhere, Pein's Shinobi were running for cover. The opposition was cheering, believing that the other side had surrendered. But Gaara knew better. They dashed out of out the main gates & kept running. But they stopped when they sensed something strange. They turned to look at the top of the tower, where six tiny figures stood. The figures surveyed the streets below them, and leapt down.

"The six paths." Gaara muttered, grinning, "It's over."

He turned & walked away, but Temari & Kankuro were confused by what they had just seen.

"Wait, what just happened there?" Temari asked.

"Does your boss really expect just six Shinobi could be capable of taking out the entire opposition?!" Kankuro added. Gaara shook his head to himself.

"Of course not." He replied, "He probably could have done it with three."

His siblings both raised their brow & looked back behind them.

* * * * *

They walked up the mountainous region of the Lightning Country, taking in the sights offered only from the heights of its mountains. They were still quite a way away from Kumogakure, but so were Kakuzu & Hidan. It didn't take long to find them, or... hear them.

"I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL KILL YOU!" Kakuzu roared.

"JUST TRY IT BITCH! NO ONE CAN KILL ME FUCKER!" Hidan screamed back.

"Yo, Reaper!" Kankuro called. Hidan's brow rose as he turned to Gaara & his siblings.

"'Sup, Stringer?" he asked grinning, his anger completely forgotten. Kakuzu's however, was not & he still looked pissed off as he turned & walked away. Kankuro caught up with Hidan a little quicker than Gaara & Temari. They fist tapped each other & walked on, talking about inappropriate things. Gaara sped up to meet Kakuzu, Temari followed. She'd much rather be near Gaara & Kakuzu than Kankuro & Hidan. Gaara caught up with the old man & walked alongside him, Temari on his other side,

"So-" Gaara began.

"Don't." Kakuzu warned, Gaara nodded & stepped back a little, giving Kakuzu his space to cool off. Behind them, Kankuro was laughing loudly as Hidan watched him with a cool expression. Kankuro practically worshipped Hidan. To him, the Jashinist was what every man should aspire to be. Strong, confident & well versed in inappropriate arts.

"I wake up the next morning," he said, "And she's lying in exactly the same position. I don't think she blinked at all!"

Kankuro nearly fell over himself laughing.

"Hey, how come I'm always the one telling the stories?" Hidan asked, "Don't tell me you haven't sampled one of Jashin-sama's finest creations? Alcohol, narcotics, women, anything?"

"Well..." Kankuro began, rubbing the back of his head nervously, "There was this one girl, way back. She was insane."

"Why, what was her deal?" Hidan asked, interested. Kankuro leaned in & whispered something into his ear. Hidan's eyes widened.

"And you married her, right?" he asked, missing Temari's glare.

"Uh-uh." Kankuro replied in a depressed voice, "I left to stick with _them._"

"WHAT?!" Hidan yelled, shocked, "You gave up _that _for _those_?! That has to be the stupidest thing i've ever heard!"

Kankuro hung his head in shame.

"Is that really all guys care about?" Temari asked, annoyed.

"He hasn't grown past it yet." Gaara replied, "He hasn't found out what really matters yet."

Temari looked at him, confused.

"What?" he asked.

"You make it sound as if-" she began.

"Hey, you guys!" Hidan interrupted, putting an arm around each of them, "Tell me _one_ of you have got with a girl, please!"

Temari groaned with disgust.

"Heh." Hidan chuckled, before turning to Gaara, "What about you, Sandman?"

"Not yet." Gaara replied, not realizing his mistake in time.

"Oh ho! Good answer!" Hidan said, grinning. Temari looked at Gaara, frowning.

"So who's the lucky lady?" Hidan asked, getting a little too close for comfort.

"Its better you don't know." Gaara replied.

"Gaara..." Temari whispered, barely audible.

"Aw come on!" Hidan begged, "How about I give you names of my girls, huh? Let's see, there was... uh... damn, I don't have any names."

Kakuzu snorted.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT BASTARD?!" Hidan yelled.

"Yo, Reaper. Relax!" Kankuro exclaimed, "No-ones supposed to know we're here!"

"Aargh. Right, fine." Hidan grumbled, quieting down.

Gaara decided to try talking to Kakuzu again.

"Are you calm yet?" Gaara asked. Kakuzu grunted.

"I am." He replied.

"So what do you know about the Nibi?"

"Not much. The Raikage is very proud of his two Jinchūriki, the Nibi, known as Nii Yugito & the Hachibi, known as Kirābī. The Nibi has greatly affected her personality, leaving her both cautious & cunning. She uses the Nibi's chakra willingly, so we should expect a large scale battle. However, she is a loner. She separates herself from her fellow Shinobi. She sees the Jinchūriki as her people more than those of Kumo."

Gaara nodded.

"Perhaps seeing another Jinchūriki will lower her guard." He said.

"Perhaps." Kakuzu agreed.

"Fine. I'll go on ahead. Take your time; I don't know how responsive she will be." Gaara said, before turning to his siblings, "You two stay with these guys, I'm going on ahead."

"Do I really have to?" Temari asked, disliking the look Hidan gave her.

"What I am about to do may make you uncomfortable." Gaara replied, "For the sake of your opinion of me, I ask you to stay."

"Oh... ok." Temari said, a tint of sadness in her voice. Gaara stepped over to her & placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll talk later, ok?" he said. Temari smiled weakly.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

* * * * *

Nii Yugito was coming out of a shop, groceries in her arms, when she first saw him. A young man, maybe sixteen or seventeen years old. He had messy red hair, dark rings around his eyes & some kind of tattoo on his forehead. He was wearing full-length dark trousers, a long-sleeved red coat with flaring hemline, and a purplish grey vest. Overall she found him to be quite attractive, although she could never be sure if her feelings were her own or the Nibi's influence. One thing for sure, he was staring at her. She stared back for a moment, before heading on her way.

But he began following her. He hid it well, but the Nibi had augmented her senses; she could spot him easily. She decided to lead him on & began walking in an erratic manner, taking unnecessary turns & twists, trying to lose him. When this didn't work, she went for her other strategy. She leapt up to the rooftops & started running. But he even followed her there. She was certain now that he knew she was aware of him, but for some reason he didn't try to stop her. In fact, he seemed to keeping pace with her, not closing the gap or slowing down. Yugito couldn't help but get the feeling that he was mocking her. So she did the only thing there was left to do. She confronted him.

"Why are you following me?" she demanded. The man stopped & stared.

"You are Nii Yugito, correct?" the man asked.

"Yeah, so what?" she asked, glaring.

"I am Subaku no Gaara." He replied, "You & I share the same curse."

Yugito raised an eyebrow, "You mean-?"

Gaara nodded, "Ichibi."

"I see... Well in that case, you'd better come with me." Yugito replied, rather huskily. She turned on the spot & led Gaara away.

She took him to her apartment, where she led him in & locked the door behind her. She showed Gaara the living room; he took a seat when offered as she headed into the kitchen to put down her groceries. She came back & sat close to Gaara. _Very _close.

"So... _Gaara,_ what brings you to Kumo?" Yugito asked, leaning close to him.

"There is someone here that I wished to meet." Gaara replied, very aware of her arm rubbing against his.

"_Apparently the Nibi Jinchūriki is... confident." _Gaara thought.

"Someone you wished to meet?" Yugito repeated, a sly smile on her lips, "Judging from that little game earlier, would I be right in assuming that person is me?"

"You would be."

Yugito let out a light laugh as she put an arm around Gaara's shoulder.

"_Is this really how you read the situation?" _Gaara thought. He was growing uncomfortable, but he knew that a sign of weakness would be exploited. If that happened, then there was no telling what Yugito would do, _"This is going to be a trial."_

Yugito seemed to be a lot more comfortable than Gaara; she had practically draped herself over him.

"So Gaara..." she purred, "Why would you come all this way just to meet _me_?"

"I had always intended to meet the other Jinchūriki." Gaara replied, "I had heard interesting tales about the Nibi Jinchūriki, I decided that I wanted to meet her first."

"Really? Do you often get what you want?"

Gaara looked her in the eye.

"Always." He said.

"Ooh, you're confident, aren't you?" Yugito asked.

"A trait we both share." Gaara replied. It was all he could do not to flinch as he felt her nose contact his ear. She must have sensed something, however, as she let out a small laugh, the air from her nose hitting his ear & neck. Gaara could feel his temperature rising.

"_You seem to have a plan as to where this will lead." _He thought, _"Very well... it looks like I will have to play dirty."_

"I couldn't help but notice that pretty naginata strapped to your back." Yugito said, maintaining her husky tone, "That wouldn't happen to be the legendary _Kumo _artefact Sasayaki, would it?"

"As I said, I always get what I want."

"You did. So what do you want right now?"

"I want many things."

"Ah, mysterious. I like that."

Yugito started running her finger across the back of his neck. Gaara realized that if he wanted to maintain control, he would have to act _now._

"What is it that _you _want?" Gaara asked. Yugito smiled.

"I'll show you." She said, getting up. She took his hand & led her into her bedroom. As she entered, she noticed a floating eye in the corner.

"What's _that_?" she asked.

"Another perspective." Gaara replied, mysteriously.

"You had this planned all along, didn't you?" Yugito asked, turning towards Gaara.

"What I want." He began.

"You get." She finished. Yugito gave him another sly smile. She reached behind her & began pulling down a zip.

* * * * *

Gaara stood outside, a hand over an eye as Yugito & a Suna Bunshin committed unspeakable acts. Gaara had tormented & killed people mercilessly, but what he saw happening in there truly terrified him. He prayed _she _wasn't so perverted. He was truly glad when Yugito finally lost consciousness & he could disperse the Suna Bunshin. It was lucky that at that point Kakuzu & the others caught up.

"Where is she?" Kakuzu asked. Gaara gestured back into the apartment. Kakuzu nodded, he & Hidan silently broke in. Temari tried to go in as well, but Gaara stopped her, shaking his head.

"HOLY CRAP!" Hidan yelled from inside. Kakuzu came out of the apartment with Yugito, adequately covered, over his shoulder.

"I'm not exactly sure." he said to Gaara, "But I believe that was _your _capture."

"MY MAN!" Hidan exclaimed, bursting out of the apartment, "That was some of the weirdest shit i've ever seen!"

He patted Gaara on the back.

"That's one hell of a start, Sandman!" he said, seeing Gaara in another light.

"Lets go." Gaara said, heading off. He stayed a little behind Kakuzu, who was flicking through his Bingo book, but stayed ahead of Hidan, who was asking Kankuro were Gaara learned all the stuff he had seen in there. Temari walked beside Gaara, not looking at him.

"You don't have to worry." Gaara said, "It was a Bunshin that did those things. I stood outside."

Temari looked at him, relief washed over her.

"Thank goodness!" She exclaimed, "I've been worrying that you'd grown past me!"

"Is that what has been concerning you?" Gaara asked, "You believe I will no longer need you?"

Temari averted her gaze.

"Kinda." She replied.

"Temari, you've saved me from myself on so many occasions. When the time comes that I have another to do that, you will already have someone else to protect with your love. I know of one person that needs it."

"You mean...?"

Gaara nodded.

"Deidara-san is alive. A little worse for wear, but he will soon recover. When we see him next, you two should talk. We're heading that way now."

Temari looked shocked.

"We're going to see him _now_?!" she repeated. Gaara nodded. As she freaked out about what she should say, Gaara thought about the relationships that had been made so far. He looked back, where Kankuro was trapped in Hidan's headlock. His older brother had traded the love of another away & had clearly regretted it. He looked at Temari, who was worried about the relationship with Deidara that hadn't even started yet. She had no idea how to deal with someone like him. He then looked away, not even knowing that he was looking in the direction of Amegakure.

"_Love drives people to act very strangely._" He thought, _"Maybe I will experience that myself."_


	18. Lost in the rain

**I may be getting ahead of myself with this one. there's still lots to do... i think. anyway, i like to sometimes end with a question, so here it is. id deidara got rabies, would that affect his art?**

**Disclaimer: if it's original, it's mine. Umibe for example.**

* * *

Lost in the rain

"There." Kakuzu said.

"Thanks, un." Deidara replied, stretching his arm out. Kakuzu had just handed over the Nibi & was about to head out to do some bounty hunting when he remembered that the artist needed his arm back.

"Deidara-kun?"

"Hm?"

Deidara looked up to see Temari looking nervously at him.

"What's up, un?" he asked, resting his arm on his knee.

"When you're done here, rest up." Gaara told Temari. He left with Kakuzu, who was putting his cloak back on.

"So what now?" Gaara asked.

"Hidan & I are going bounty hunting." Kakuzu replied, "You're welcome to join us as long as you keep Hidan occupied."

"Alright." Gaara replied, "My sister has business with Deidara, so Kankuro & I have time to kill."

Kakuzu nodded & headed off to find Hidan, who was sharpening his scythe by the road outside the hideout, Kankuro was sitting beside him. Hidan looked up at them as he heard the door close.

"Hey, you guys tagging along again?" he asked, "That's cool, as long as you keep the bastard occupied."

"Shut up." Kakuzu growled.

"WHY DON'T YOU MAKE ME, BITCH?!"

"Calm down!" Gaara said, "Fighting an immortal opponent is a waste of time."

Both continued to glare at each other, but at least the yelling had stopped.

"Kakuzu-san, which bounty are you looking for?" Gaara asked.

"A former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, the head monk of Fire Temple, Chiriku."

"Wait a minute." Hidan butted in, "We're attacking a _temple_? You want to go to hell or something?"

"There is a thirty million ryō bounty on his head." Kakuzu replied. Hidan groaned. Kankuro whistled.

"Thirty mil?" he repeated, "Guy could buy a lotta cheese with that."

"That's right." Kakuzu said, "If you make yourself useful, I'll give you a cut."

"Done."

They made their way through Fire Country, heading straight for the Fire Temple. Gaara & Kankuro didn't speak much on the way; there was too much risk of setting Kakuzu or Hidan off.

"Damn this place is hard to get around!" Hidan complained, "Who builds a temple in the middle of a forest anyway?"

"Monks who don't want people trespassing on their holy ground." Kakuzu replied.

"Tch. Damn monks. Don't they know Jashin-sama is the only real god?"

"No he's not. Gaara-sama is." Umibe piped up.

"WHO THE HELL SAID THAT?!" Hidan demanded, whipping his head round.

"Who are you talking about?" Gaara asked, trying to avoid a situation.

"Gah, never mind." Hidan grumbled. Gaara let out a sigh of relief. He really needed to speak with Umibe about what he shouldn't say around religious extremists.

"How much further is there to go?" Kankuro asked.

"We're close. Roughly another mile & we'll be there." Kakuzu replied.

Kankuro nodded.

"Hey Gaara." He said, catching up with his younger brother, "Why'd we leave Temari back there?"

"She wishes to speak with Deidara." Gaara replied, "Lately she's been developing feelings for him."

"What?!" Kankuro exclaimed, "No way is that gonna happen!"

Gaara frowned, "Why not?"

Kankuro groaned, "Am I the only one that actually _talks_ to these guys?"

He then sighed.

"Never mind." He said, "You'll probably find out from Temari anyway."

Gaara stared at Kankuro for a second longer before turning away. For what possible reason would Deidara turn Temari down for?

"Is that it?" Hidan asked.

They glanced up ahead, where a large temple was sitting. There was a large sign reading 'Fire Temple' on it.

"No." Kakuzu replied, "You go on ahead, we'll rest here. Let us know if you find it."

"Alright." Hidan replied, walking ahead. Gaara looked up at Kakuzu, who surprisingly enough, winked at Gaara.

Hidan was quite a way away. He was about to pass the sign when he spotted it. After studying it for a few seconds, or perhaps just tryingto read it, he realized he'd been had.

"HEY BASTARD!" He screamed, "THINK YOU'RE FUNNY?!"

Kakuzu was laughing silently, his shoulders bucking as the Jashinist fumed. When they caught up with Hidan, the guy looked seriously pissed.

"I'm gonna sacrifice _so _many people." Hidan grumbled, heading up to the main gates, which were closed. It looked like it would take a great deal of force to break the door down.

"Excuse me." Kakuzu said, pushing to the front & rolling back his sleeve. His fist turned a dark shade, it looked like coal. He threw his fist & completely obliterated the door.

Inside, monks were rushing to positions. They all formed in front of the main building & faced the intruders. Hidan seemed to relish the attention.

"Hey! I don't suppose I could convert any of you to Jashinism?" he asked, in a very charismatic way.

"We only want Chiriku, there is no need for any of you to die." Kakuzu said.

"Stand down." Came a voice from the main building. From the shadows appeared another monk. Like the others, he was bald. But unlike the others, he bore the sash of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. He walked through the other monks, standing in front of them.

"Chiriku-san." Kakuzu said, "There is a five million ryō bonus if we bring you in alive."

"Trespassers are not welcome in this place." Chiriku warned, "We are peaceful people, but if you attempt to use force we will resist. Please leave now."

"Then you will not come with us?" Kakuzu asked, "That is unfortunate."

Hidan grinned & whipped out his scythe, dashing forward. Kakuzu ran at Chiriku as well, both his hands darkening. Chiriku took on a stance with one hand placed in a seal, the other with the palm of his hand facing the ground. He closed his eyes & focused. Gaara's brow rose as he saw a strange figure appear behind the monk, a many armed woman looking kind and forgiving.

But suddenly, Hidan & Kakuzu were thrown back as ethereal fists flew at them. The woman had changed into an enraged beast; Chiriku's calm expression had changed to match the beast-man.

"Ow!" Hidan complained, "That hurt, fucker! Hey, stay out of this. I'm gonna sacrifice that bastard!"

"Very well." Kakuzu said, his fists returning to their normal colour, "But at least leave his head, we'll need him to be identifiable."

"Yeah, I know." Hidan replied, smirking.

"We'll take care of the rest." Kakuzu said to Gaara & Kankuro.

"Very well." Gaara replied. He stood forward, surveying the other monks, who were poised & ready for battle.

His cloak started to move independently of him. It changed shape & size, expanding & constricting, until it was something else entirely. A black figure with red clouds on its body had itself wrapped around Gaara's right leg, torso & left arm, with its head not far from Gaara's, facing the monks, who where surveying the monster in fear.

"Umibe," Gaara said, "Attack."

* * * * *

The fire temple was in ruins. Stone crumbled & wood smouldered. Corpses were everywhere, all the monks were dead. Well, almost. Gaara had decided to keep quiet about _that _one. Kakuzu hurled Chiriku's body over his shoulder.

"The nearest bounty station is quite far off." He said, "We'd better hurry if we are to cash him in before the sealing of the Nibi begins."

Hidan was lying on the ground, on top of a blood seal, with a blade through his gut.

"Tough luck bitch, I'm nowhere near done with this!" he replied, blood dribbling from his mouth.

"I'll stay with him until he is finished." Gaara said, "We will catch up with you."

Kakuzu nodded, "Don't take long."

He & Kankuro left, Gaara staying behind.

"Gaara-sama!"

Gaara turned around to see Umibe with all sorts of talismans & other peculiar possessions hanging from his teeth & sticking out of his body.

"Er... Umibe, you know I can't possibly carry all that." Gaara said. Umibe looked at Gaara with worry.

"Sorry Gaara-sama, please forgive me!" he exclaimed, bowing down.

"It's fine. Just see if you can detect chakra on any of those. Keep the ones that do, I'll check them out later. Leave the rest."

"Hai, Gaara-sama!" Umibe replied. Gaara looked at Hidan, who was laying still.

"How much longer do you have to do this?" Gaara asked.

"Not much longer." Hidan replied, smirking, "I usually take my time to piss off the bastard."

"I see."

Umibe was studying the amulets closely.

"Anything?" Gaara asked. Umibe shook his head sadly, "That's fine. It's unlikely that monks would carry anything valuable."

A little while later, Hidan pulled the sword out of himself.

"Alright, I'm done here." He said, putting his cloak back on.

"Umibe. Come on." Gaara said. Umibe dropped the talismans & dispersed, resuming the form of Gaara's cloak. They left the destroyed temple, heading in the direction Gaara had seen Kakuzu head off. It didn't take long to catch up to him & Kankuro. Kakuzu looked back as he heard Gaara & Hidan.

"I thought you were 'nowhere near done'?" he said. Hidan shrugged.

"I decided to do the short version for a change." He replied. Kakuzu growled & continued on his way. Kankuro smirked to Hidan, who smirked back.

After two days of trekking, Kakuzu stopped outside a public restroom.

"What? Need a squirt?" Hidan asked. Kakuzu shook his head.

"This is the exchange point." He said, stepping in. The rest followed him.

"God, this place reeks!" Kankuro exclaimed, placing his hand over his nose. Kakuzu stepped over to one of the urinals & tapped on a wall. The wall fell back, revealing a secret room behind. A bald, scarred man appeared.

"Please, come this way." He said, retreating into the shadows. Kakuzu followed him with the others behind. Inside, the room was filled with lockers along a wall. The stench here was even greater. The man opened one of the lockers & pulled out a large metal tray. Kakuzu dropped Chiriku's body on it & looked up at the man expectantly.

"Damn, I don't know if it's the corpses or the piss, but the smell in here is fucking gross!" Hidan complained, "I'm going outside."

Hidan left as the scarred man pulled out a larger copy of the bingo book & began flicking through it. He settled on a page & looked Chiriku up & down.

"That sash, there's no denying it." He said, "You caught a good bounty, Kakuzu-san."

"I know." Kakuzu replied.

The man turned & walked to a table against another wall, picked up a briefcase & placed it on the tray in front of Kakuzu, who opened it & began counting the money inside.

"Here." He said, tossing a couple of bundles to Gaara & Kankuro. Gaara looked through his wad. There was one million ryō inside.

"Thanks man!" Kankuro said, flicking his money.

Kakuzu continued to count as Gaara stepped out of the room & into the restroom.

He heard a sound from outside, like metal hitting metal. He pressed himself up against the wall by the door of the restroom & glanced outside.

A Shinobi wearing a Konoha flak vest stood with his back to him. Hidan was a few metres away, his scythe in his hand. Gaara silently stepped back towards the hidden room.

"We've got company." He said. Kakuzu & Kankuro looked up at him.

"What kind of company?" Kakuzu asked.

"The Konoha kind."

Kakuzu closed the briefcase & headed for a trapdoor.

"I'm using this, is that ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, fine." The scarred man replied, "Just make sure no-one sees it."

Gaara & Kankuro followed Kakuzu as he climbed up a ladder.

Silently, Kakuzu lifted open a hatch. He climbed through & closed it after Gaara & Kankuro were out. A few metres in front of them, another Konoha Shinobi crouched with his back to them. Kakuzu walked up behind the Shinobi, his fist darkening. He roared as he threw his fist at the Shinobi, who managed to dodge just in time, leaping down to his comrade. Two other Konoha Shinobi were holding blades impaled into Hidan. Kakuzu, Gaara & Kankuro leapt to his side. The two broke off, joining their comrades. Gaara looked at the Shinobi from the rooftop.

"Shikamaru-kun, it's been a long time." Gaara said. Shikamaru stared at Gaara, a look of understanding on his face.

"So you really did join Akatsuki." He said, "Naruto was right."

"I'm sorry I deceived you."

Hidan glared at Gaara.

"Why the hell are you apologising to these bastards?!" he demanded.

"You're not getting nostalgic, are you?" Kakuzu asked, dangerously.

"Not at all." Gaara replied, "I'm just a courteous person. I wronged this person unnecessarily, so I am apologising."

Shikamaru glanced at Hidan & Kakuzu. Gaara knew what he was thinking.

"And the rest of what Naruto said?" he asked, "Is that true as well?"

"It is."

Kakuzu looked to Gaara.

"They know?" he asked. Gaara nodded.

"I see... so there's only one way this is going."

Shikamaru formed his hand sign & his shadow leapt forward, aimed at Gaara & his comrades. Each dodged them easily, landing apart from each other. Gaara & Kankuro were on one side, Kakuzu & Hidan were on the other.

"I'll leave them to you." Gaara said, walking away.

* * * * *

"_It is time to seal the Nibi." _Pein said, through the rings.

"I'm ready." Gaara replied. He & Kankuro had returned to the hideout they'd left Temari at just in time for Pein's announcement. He found the highest point, sat down & channelled chakra into his ring. He opened his eyes & found himself in a cavern, standing on his designated finger of the sealing statue. On the ground between the two arms was Yugito, lying unconscious in the dirt.

"God damn it!" Hidan complained, "I almost had those guys! You stopped us just to seal the Nibi?!"

"Without Sasori-san, this will take longer." Pein said, before glancing at the spot where Konan should have been, "That, as well as the other absence means that this will take between three & four days."

"_You still aren't here?" _Gaara thought, _"What are you doing?"_

"Three or four days?" Hidan repeated, "It's raining over here!"

"Shut up." Kakuzu ordered. Hidan grunted.

"I didn't even get the chance to tell those godless idiots about Jashinism." He muttered.

"Konoha is far from godless." Pein said, "They view the generation before them as heavenly beings & follow the Will of Fire. Although you could say it's just another excuse to fight."

"Are you making fun of me?!" Hidan demanded, "Comparing Jashin-sama to a bunch of old geezers?!"

"No. I'm not trying to belittle your reason for fighting." Pein replied, "Remember, I'm in the same boat as you."

His eyes narrowed.

"Your reasons don't matter at all." He continued, "Religion, Ideals, Resources, Land, Grudges, Existence or Just Because."

Gaara listened closely up to this point. He was familiar with this speech, having received it himself once. But Pein had missed out a very important detail.

* * * * *

With the Nibi now sealed, Gaara stopped channelling chakra into his ring & stood.

After briefly stretching his arms & legs, which were very stiff by now, he looked for his siblings.

He found them outside, sitting on boulder. They looked up as they spotted him.

"Hey, I didn't have time to ask..." he said. Temari gave a small smile.

"It's ok." She replied, "He turned me down."

Gaara frowned.

"Why would he do that?" he asked. Temari slid off the boulder & was leaning against it.

"He said that there were things he needed to do before he even considered a relationship. He thought it would be unfair to me if I had to come second to those things."

"What's so important to him that he would turn you down?" Gaara asked, becoming agitated.

"He hates Itachi." Kankuro replied, "He wants to kill him more than anything."

"To kill Itachi? I see." If Deidara were to fight Itachi like that, he would surely die. Maybe it was better that he turned Temari down, to save her the pain of losing him. He suddenly remembered something.

"We're going to Amegakure." He said, "There is someone I have to find."

"Who is it?" Kankuro asked, "Another Jinchūriki?"

Gaara shook his head.

"A bounty? A new recruit?"

Again, Gaara shook his head. He felt Temari's eyes on him. He looked at her, but immediately averted his gaze.

"I knew it." She whispered, "Those things you said..."

"What? What's going on?" Kankuro asked, confused.

"It's nothing." Gaara replied, "Let's go."

Kankuro dropped from the rock.

"Alright then-" he began, looking up. But no-one was there. He looked to his left & saw Gaara & Temari running.

"Hey, wait! Is this person really that important?!" he asked, running after them.

A few hours later, they were up amongst the trees, leaping from branch to branch.

"Gaara." Temari called out. Gaara slowed down to allow her to catch up.

"I was right before, wasn't I?" she asked.

Gaara looked away. He really didn't want to have this talk.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He replied.

"...huh? But... you made it sound as if..."

"There is someone in Amegakure that I need to find. It is vital that I find that person as soon as possible."

Temari fell silent. Gaara knew what she was thinking, but this wasn't something he wanted to talk about.

"Temari..."

She looked up at Gaara, her brow raised.

"If such a thing were ever to happen, I'd rather that person find out first, ok?"

Temari stared for a while before nodding.

"Ok." She replied.

Kankuro glanced from one sibling to the other. He really had no clue what they were talking about.

The rest of the journey passed quietly. They stopped about five hundred yards away from the main gates of Amegakure. From what they could see, the conflict was over & repairs had begun. But there was a problem. It was raining over there.

"Damn." Gaara said, "I would rather he didn't find out about this."

He crouched down & surveyed the village.

"We need a way in." He said, "To get by undetected & remain that way."

"We could try a Shunshin." Temari offered.

"No, we would still hit the rain."

"What about a diversion?" Kankuro asked, "I send my puppets in, Temari uses her fan to blow the rain away & you use Suna Bunshins."

"He can tell by how the rain lands the shape of what is there. He'd single us out easily." Gaara replied, "There's only one way, but it's risky."

"What?" both his siblings asked.

"We use Umibe to dig a tunnel."

They blinked.

"A- a tunnel?" Temari repeated, nervously. Gaara nodded.

"Umibe." He called.

"Hai, Gaara-sama!" Umibe replied. He shifted to his normal form & burrowed into the ground. Temari looked down into the hole. She flinched & stepped back.

"No way am I going down there!" she exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Kankuro asked.

"What's wrong?!" Temari repeated, hysterically, "A small dark tunnel underground, what's not wrong?!"

"Fine, you stay here." Gaara said, dropping into the tunnel, Kankuro following.

"Be careful!" Temari cried after them.

Gaara & Kankuro crawled through the tunnel blindly. Umibe could be heard not too far ahead, still digging. They travelled for a few minutes, Gaara stopping every now & then to figure out what position they were in.

"Umibe, up." Gaara ordered. The sandworm gave a muffled response as he began to ascend. They broke through the surface & found themselves in a basement. Umibe dispersed & formed back into Gaara's cloak as he climbed out of the hole, Kankuro following closely.

"Where are we?" Kankuro asked quietly. Gaara looked around.

"We are in a tavern, not far from the tower." He replied, heading for a wooden staircase. At the top of the stairs, a door was open very slightly. Gaara peered through the opening.

"Good." He said, "They aren't open."

As he said this, two young women appeared from a staircase leading to the upper floors. They appeared to work here, judging by their tied back hair & the aprons they were wearing. One headed over to the bar, pulled out a cloth & began polishing it, humming a tune to herself. The other grabbed a box & headed to the basement.

"Distract her." Gaara said, pushing Kankuro through the door. He stumbled out, shocking the young women.

"Sir!" the one at the bar exclaimed, "What were you doing back there?"

"Wha-? Ow, my head!" Kankuro said, rubbing his scalp, "Don't yell so loud!"

"Did you fall asleep back there?" the other asked, sternly, "Well you can get out!"

She grabbed Kankuro by the shirt & ushered him to the front door. Before she got the chance to open it, Gaara Subaku Shunshined to the one at the bar & knocked her out. Kankuro did the same to the other.

"Ok, they're both out." Kankuro said, "Uh... why'd we do that?"

"He knows how many people are here, but not the identity of each individual." Gaara replied, "Therefore, if there are two less people walking the streets, then we can walk outside undetected."

"Oh, smart!" Kankuro said, "But what if someone in the streets recognises us?"

"That's why we will disguise ourselves as these girls."

Kankuro looked down at the girls, a perverted grin on his face.

"Kankuro, control yourself." Gaara ordered.

Kankuro shook his head, "Right, sorry."

They both turned into a Henge of each girl before stepping out into the streets. Apparently the girls were popular, as they received quite a bit of attention from the people around them.

"Hey!"

"How's it going?"

"Sorry about the glass!"

They did their best to respond in a manner that wouldn't earn suspicion, but they were both uncomfortable by the large amount of male attention.

As they drew closer to the tower, the amount of civilians decreased & the number of Shinobi increased. Gaara glanced up to the top of the tower.

"_Shit."_

He could have sworn he had just seen Pein at the top of the tower. But as soon as he looked, Pein disappeared. Was he onto them?

"Hey," Kankuro muttered, "How are we gonna get inside looking like this?"

"Leave that to me." Gaara replied.

"_Damn, now what?" _he thought. They walked around the tower, pretending to be lost. Luckily, Ame Shinobi were ignorant, so no-one tried to help them. Gaara nudged Kankuro as he spied something. Scaffolding was set up to repair a hole in the base of the tower. Opposite the scaffolding was a store selling ninja tools.

"If we can get in undetected, we can drop the henge." Gaara said, quietly. Kankuro nodded & followed him into the store.

"May I help you young ladies?" asked the storekeeper.

"Yes sir." Gaara said, thinking quickly. He scanned the shelves, "You don't happen to sell soldier pills, do you?"

The storekeeper frowned at the two.

"You don't look like Shinobi." He said, "For what reason could you want something like that?"

"Oh, you're right." Gaara replied, "It's our cousin who's the Shinobi. Father wants to make him food for his mission to help revitalise him."

The storekeeper stroked his beard.

"You know I can't sell to anyone without a licence, right?" he asked.

"We know!" Gaara said, brightly. He was glad that the other Akatsuki members weren't here to listen to him speak like this, "We're just here to check!"

"Well as long as you know." The storekeeper replied, "I think I keep them in the back. Hold on, let me check."

As soon as he was gone, Gaara turned to Kankuro.

"Lets go." He said, in his normal voice.

The two of them turned & eyed the crowd. They waited for the correct moment, ran through the street & leapt through the hole. They got in without anyone seeing them on either side.

"There is a chance he noticed that." Gaara said, dropping the Henge, "So we must hurry."

They were standing in an empty hallway, void of the slightest decoration. Gaara opened a door & turned to his brother, who was busy checking himself out.

"Kankuro, I swear to god." Gaara growled.

"Sorry." Kankuro replied, dropping his Henge. The two of them went through the door & found a staircase leading down.

"If my hunch is correct." Gaara said, "Then the person will be down here somewhere."

They travelled down to the bottom of the staircase to find another hallway. There were pipes running across the walls, all heading in the same direction.

"Hey!"

Gaara whipped his head round to find a Shinobi staring at him.

"You look to be one of Pein-sama's lieutenants, but no-one is allowed near the prisoner." The Shinobi said.

"'Lieutenant'?" Gaara repeated, "You insult me. I am far above your feeble ranks. I have seen Pein-sama's face, what are you in comparison?"

The Shinobi flinched under Gaara's glare.

"I'm sorry sir, but those are Pein-sama's orders."

Gaara sighed.

"I understand that you are just doing your job." He said, "But I am above those orders. Now where is the prisoner?"

The guard seemed troubled.

"Uh... just follow the pipes." He replied, turning & walking away.

Gaara did just that. He listened closely & heard the sound of running water. These pipes were in constant use. For what?

"Hey, Gaara?" Kankuro whispered, "What do we do when we find this person?"

"We'll cross that bridge when it comes." Gaara replied.

The sound of running water was growing louder, turning into a dull roar. The hall ended at a door, the pipes passing through the surrounding wall.

"_Please be there." _Gaara thought, pressing his hand against the door, _"Please be behind this door."_


	19. A paper heart

**Alright, here's chapter... uh, i've lost count... woo hoo! i'm pretty proud of this one, but please remember, i have a fragile ego. is it wierd to admit that? i hope so, i like being wierd. not voodoo & tin foil hats wierd, but "Where the hell does he come up with this stuff?!" wierd. For instance, in the original Naruto story, i wonder why Konan's reason is 'love'. I mean, Pein's a boring megalomaniac. could it be that Konan's freaky & just likes that he has six bodies?**

**Disclaimer: whoah, i almost typed 'deidara'. ever since a certain someone suggested TemaDei, it keeps invading my mind while i'm trying to write a GaaKon story! RAAARRGHHH! Nah, i don't mind it. it actually gives me more to write about, so thanks to that person!... oh, right! 'I don't own Naruto'**

* * *

A paper heart

They entered into a large room, lights shining all round. The pipes moved across the ceiling, surrounding _that._

All the pipes met at the same point, the water they were carrying poured onto a square structure with a pyramid-like roof. The water ran down the pyramid & poured off the edge, into a small pool surrounding the structure. The water rendered anything inside the structure unidentifiable, but Gaara was sure he could see a huddled lump there. He moved his hand through the water & touched a metal bar. He did the same with his other hand & again, grabbed a metal bar. Behind the water was a prison. Gaara pressed his face as close as he could, ignoring the cold water. Inside the prison was a blue haired woman, lying on the ground.

"Gaara-kun?" Konan called out, quietly.

Gaara looked at her, how weak she looked. She was missing both her cloak & ring, now wearing a simple black shirt & pants. Her eyes had dark rings around them. It was no surprise she hadn't slept with the noise of the water.

"Konan-hime!" Gaara exclaimed, eyes wide with shock.

"G-Gaara-kun," she began, struggling to get up, "What are you doing here?"

"I came here for you. Hold on, I'll get you out of here."

As Gaara's face disappeared, Konan smiled.

"I know you will." She whispered.

Gaara moved away from the prison & looked around. He couldn't find a valve or any other way to shut off the water, so he decided to just leave it. He rolled back his sleeve & focused chakra into his arm, feeling it grow & change. When the transformation was complete, he slashed at the bars, obliterating them. He ran in through the hole, his arm changing back, & knelt down beside Konan,

"Are you alright?" he asked, placing his arms beneath her & picking her up.

"I am now." She replied, before losing consciousness. Gaara ran back through the hole, shielding her from as much of the water as he could. Kankuro looked at Konan, a surprised look on his face.

"A woman?" he thought aloud. Gaara left through the door & Kankuro followed. They ran through the tower, managing to evade the guards. When they reached the main door, Gaara cast a Henge on Konan, to make her look like one of Kankuro's bandaged puppets. He then gave her to Kankuro, who carefully placed her on his back. Then they left, making sure the path they took was out of Pein's direct line of vision. They travelled through the busy streets when there was one, otherwise they'd take the alleyways. Anything to keep Pein from seeing them with his eyes.

They reached the main gates, passed the guards who bowed to Gaara, & headed for Temari's position. She was looking into the hole when they arrived, so she didn't see them. Gaara took Konan back & released the Henge. She was still unconscious as he did this. He looked at her in his arms. Temari sensed them & looked up, seeing the way Gaara was looking at Konan.

"Gaara..." she whispered.

"We have to go." Gaara said, "Somewhere safe. Where they won't find her."

"Where?" Kankuro asked. Temari just looked at Konan.

"To the oasis." Gaara replied, "She should be safe there, Kousou wouldn't let anyone in there that I don't permit."

Kankuro nodded, Temari did so too, just a little slower. Gaara walked away, his siblings following him. Gaara had removed his cloak & covered Konan with it.

As they walked, he found himself constantly glancing at her. She felt warm in his arms, it was nice. It made him warm as well. She looked peaceful, but Gaara knew she wasn't sleeping; she needed somewhere to recover.

After travelling a few miles, they found an inn & entered. A middle aged man stood behind a counter, doing paperwork. Gaara walked over to the man.

"Excuse me, do you have any rooms?" he asked the man, who looked up.

"Uh, yes sir, we do." The man replied, looking at Konan with unease, "Is she...?"

"We would like to take a couple of rooms." Gaara said, ignoring the man's question, "We would appreciate privacy."

As he said this, Kankuro dropped some of the money Kakuzu had given him on the counter. The man eyed it, greedily.

"Very well." The man said, "You may have the suites."

He gave Gaara a key & Temari another. The man then led them to their rooms. Gaara thanked him & entered his room.

He found the bed & placed Konan inside it, taking back his cloak & placing the quilt over her. He then found an armchair, pulled it over beside the bed & sat on it. He watched her as she lay there, unmoving. He couldn't help but feel responsible.

"_I should have acted sooner." _He thought, _"She suffered for so long because I failed to act. I was already in the tower, I had a chance! This is entirely my fault."_

This went on for the rest of the day & night. Gaara sighed and rubbed his eyes, it was times like this that they really started to react to the insomnia. Gaara decided to perform the only kind of rest he could get. He pulled his feet up so he was sitting cross legged & began meditating.

"_What I have done." _He thought, _"This does cause a problem to my mission. If Pein discovers it was I who rescued her, then I will have failed. Another instance is that Konan seems to have been removed from Akatsuki. This disproves the oath that every member takes. If the oath did as Kisame said it would, then Konan would already be dead. But there's something else. If she is no longer a member of Akatsuki, the Pein must have her ring. If so, then who does he plan to give it to?"_

"_Gaara-san." _Gaara's eyes snapped open as he heard the sound of Pein's voice. He channelled chakra into his ring & found himself back in Amegakure, but at the top of the tower this time.

"Pein-sama." Gaara said, bowing, "You summoned me?"

"Yes." Deva replied, "I have just received a report that Kakuzu & Hidan faced a team from Konoha. They were both killed."

Gaara nodded.

"My brother will be disappointed." He said, "He & Hidan were friends."

"Yes, it is an unfortunate loss. Konoha has been very troublesome to our goals."

"What would you have me do?" Gaara asked.

"Nothing. At the moment, Deidara is searching for the Sanbi. He shouldn't have much trouble dealing with it. Itachi & Kisame are searching for the Yonbi, they may be a while. Be ready for the sealing of the Sanbi."

Gaara bowed again, "Is there anything else?"

Deva stared at him for a few seconds, as if trying to come to a decision.

"No, that is all." He said, turning away. Gaara vanished from sight.

He opened his eyes back in the hotel room. He looked down to Konan, she was still out. A strand of hair was lying across her face. Gaara reached forward to brush it away. But as he did that, Konan exhaled, the breath from her nose hitting Gaara's hand. He shivered. Suddenly he noticed he wasn't alone. Temari was leaning on the doorway, watching him with a look of unease.

"Temari..." Gaara said, staring at his sister in surprise. Temari came over & sat on the edge of Gaara's bed, looking at Konan.

"She's beautiful." Temari noted, in a small voice. Gaara dropped his gaze to Konan.

"Is she?" he asked, trying to sound uncaring.

"I know what you said before, but there's no need to pretend." Temari replied, "You don't have to say it, but don't act like you don't feel it."

Gaara sat there, frozen.

"_You... what you're saying... is _that_ what this is?" _he thought.

"It seems you know my feelings better than I do." Gaara said. Temari didn't reply.

Time passed. Temari left & the two of them were alone. Gaara found that he could sit no longer, so he wandered around the room. He went into the bathroom to splash his face with water, feeling slightly refreshed. He then took out Sasayaki & began to polish her. Once he was done with that, he stood by the window, looking out into the sunlight.

"_Who knew waiting could be so difficult?" _he thought, _"Then again, I have waited a long time, without even knowing it."_

"G-Gaara-kun?"

Gaara whipped his head around, shock on his face. Konan was looking at him, her eyes straining to see. Gaara was by her side in seconds, sitting back in the armchair.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, unsure of what to do.

"I... I'm ok." She replied, before shuddering, "Maybe not."

With difficulty, she moved herself into a sitting position.

"Here." Gaara said, handing her a glass of water.

"Thanks." She replied, taking a sip. She looked around the room, "Where are we?"

"A few miles out of Amegakure. We stopped here so you could rest, but we'll head to a safer location soon."

"But... Pein-"

"Is still in Amegakure." Gaara interrupted, "And he'll be there for a while yet. But I can't let him find you."

Konan looked like she was about to argue, but she was no longer able to stay awake. Gaara grabbed her glass before it spilled & re-adjusted her so she was lying down again.

A few hours later, Temari came to the door again.

"Hey, how's she doing?" she asked.

"Fine." Gaara replied, "She's just sleeping now."

"You look like hell." Temari noted, "You should go get something to eat."

"I can't leave her-"

"I'll stay here, ok?"

Gaara searched Temari's face for a moment. He nodded & stood up leaving quietly so not to wake Konan. He made his way to the ground floor, where there was a small cafeteria. There were a couple others staying at the inn who were inside, eating breakfast. Gaara purchased a sandwich & headed outside, where he found Kankuro lying in the grass, drinking from a box of orange juice.

"Hey." Gaara said, sitting next to his brother.

"Hey." Kankuro replied, without looking to see who was there. The two of them looked up at the clouds, which were heading in the direction of Amegakure.

"You ever notice, whenever you talk, it's always something serious?" Kankuro asked. Gaara raised his brow at this. Now that he thought about it, Kankuro was right.

"I live my life leading to a single goal." Gaara replied, "Maybe after that, I can think about other things."

"Hope so, 'cos if you're gonna be this dull all the time, I'm gonna split."

Gaara grinned. Kankuro really had a way with words.

"So we're finally gonna see the place you've been living at?" Kankuro asked.

"Yeah. We may stay there for a few days, to figure some things out. She should be safe there."

"You keep saying that she needs protecting & she's gonna resist." Kankuro warned.

"That can't be helped. I can't have her interfering right now. If she tries to fight him, she won't win."

They both fell silent. Gaara finished his sandwich & stood up.

"Tomorrow, if she is able to travel, we'll leave." He said, heading back inside.

"See you then!" Kankuro replied, waving.

Gaara made his way back to the room. He paused outside as he heard Temari talking. He opened the door & entered.

Konan was sitting up again, looking a lot better than before. The two women looked at him as he entered, both smiling.

"Hey." Temari said, "Look who's up!"

"Hi." Konan said, looking at his strange expression, "Are you alright?"

"That's what I was about ask you." Gaara replied, moving to her side.

"I'm fine, but I'm getting really tired of people asking me that." She said.

"Right. If you're well, we'll leave tomorrow."

"About that... I can't leave."

Gaara folded his arms, "Konan-hime, I won't pretend to understand why you'd want to stay. Despite whatever business you may have in Amegakure, I cannot allow you to endanger yourself like that. As your rescuer, I ask that you be patient."

Konan considered him for a moment. She nodded.

"Alright, I guess I owe you that much." She said, settling down. Temari looked between Gaara & Konan.

"I'm gonna go get something to eat." She said, getting up & leaving. Now Gaara & Konan were alone.

"I want to thank you again, for back there." Konan said, "I'm sorry if I seemed ungrateful."

"It's fine." Gaara replied.

"So what's been happening while I was...?"

"The Ichibi & Nibi have been sealed, but Sasori, Kakuzu & Hidan fell to Konoha Shinobi."

"Really? So the immortal guys were the first to go, huh?"

Gaara stared at her. She blushed lightly.

"Sorry, that was wrong." She said, bowing her head, "I shouldn't mock the dead."

"I don't think it would really make a difference." Gaara replied.

"So... where are we going?" Konan asked, looking up to Gaara.

"I have a home near Sunagakure. We'll stay there for a while."

"Sunagakure?" Konan repeated, "We're going to the desert?"

Gaara blinked.

"Right, you've never been to the desert, have you? In that case, you'll probably make great use of the oasis."

Konan looked relieved.

"I've lived my whole life in this country, it's going to be strange to leave." She said.

"I'll see what I can do to keep you cool during the journey." Gaara added.

"You don't have to go to the trouble, I'll manage."

"You're sure?"

"Mm-hm."

Gaara sat back in his chair, "Alright then. As I said, if you're strong enough, we'll leave tomorrow. I'll let you rest."

He made to get up, but Konan reached out to him. Gaara stared in surprise at his hand in hers.

"Please don't. I'm sick of resting." Konan begged. Gaara was still staring at their hands, Konan realized she was still holding on & pulled her hand away, blushing.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, but in truth, Gaara was a little disappointed she'd let go.

"Don't be." He replied, sitting back down. He looked at Konan, who was touching her hand, a strange look on her face. Gaara looked at her, & spotted something.

"Uh, your flower..." he said, pointing to her hair. Konan blinked & touched the paper flower, it was crumpled. She focused for a second & it returned to the way it looked before. Gaara grinned.

"I didn't know roses bloomed twice." He said. Konan smiled & he felt it again; that warm feeling. He liked it when she smiled.

"You're staring." She said, blushing again.

"Oh, sorry." Gaara said, blinking.

The clock ticked as they sat there, not saying much. They were both feeling very uncomfortable, yet neither wanted Gaara to leave. To break the tension, Gaara decided help was needed.

"Umibe, why don't you come out?" Gaara requested, noticing Konan's strange look.

"Hai, Gaara-sama!"

Konan jumped in her bed as Umibe's high voice sounded, her strange look turning to shock as Gaara's cloak disintegrated into sand, which then turned into a quite large sandworm.

"You don't have to stay like that." Gaara added, referring to him still being black with red clouds. Umibe nodded & turned back to his normal sand-like colour. The seven year old worm then turned to Konan.

"Hi!" he said, brightly, "I'm Umibe!"

Konan looked at Umibe uncertainly.

"What is this?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound insensitive.

"This is Umibe. He is a sandworm from the deserts of Wind Country. It's alright, he's only a child."

Umibe huffed at Gaara's words & Konan giggled. She reached out & petted Umibe, who purred. Konan giggled again.

"He's cute." She said, smiling at Umibe, who was rocking happily.

"Yeah, he's a very delicate child." Gaara said, smirking.

"Am not!" Umibe exclaimed, childishly. Gaara laughed.

"Ok, you're not." He agreed. He looked up & noticed Konan.

"You're staring." He said, "Is it that strange to hear me laugh?"

Konan blinked & then looked away, embarrassed.

"Sorry." She muttered.

Suddenly, a loud bang came from the room behind Konan. The three of them whipped their heads in the direction of the noise.

"I'll see what that was." Gaara said, "Umibe, stay here."

Gaara left the room & opened the door to the room. Temari was sprawled on the floor. It looked like she had fallen off her bed, which was placed at the same wall as Konan's.

"How graceful." Gaara noted. Temari got to her feet, rubbing her head & wincing.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear-"

"I'm sure you couldn't." Gaara interrupted. Temari laughed nervously.

"Well, you two were falling over each other, I couldn't resist listening in!" she exclaimed, defensively.

"Falling over each other?" Gaara repeated. Temari nodded.

"The amount of times you've apologised to each other, you sound like a couple of clumsy fools!"

Her expression softened.

"You just need to relax." She said, "Don't try so hard."

"I'm not trying anything." Gaara retorted, "Perhaps you need to work on interpretation."

Temari shrugged, "Ok, don't take my advice."

"I won't." Gaara replied, leaving. He knew that he'd probably hurt Temari's feelings, but he didn't appreciate it when his privacy was invaded. He re-entered his & Konan's room, where Konan was looking up at him, questioningly.

"Temari fell over." He told her.

"Is she all right?"

"The most she's suffering from is a bruised ego."

Gaara sat back down on his chair. Umibe had falling asleep with his head resting on the bed.

"So... Gaara-kun," Konan began, "Can I ask, what made you come for me?"

Gaara leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

"Well, you'd missed both the sealings, which was peculiar considering how important that is. Also, Pein recently gave the speech about motives to Hidan, but he missed 'Love'. I realized he must have done something, otherwise he wouldn't have been making up tales of you being away on 'important business'. But why would he imprison you like that?"

Konan nodded, "But you didn't answer my question."

Gaara hesitated; his reasons were difficult to explain.

"I-I remember the day we met. I could see the pain in your eyes, the loneliness. From your eyes, I could see that you & I weren't so different. I remember the afternoon we spent, it was a memory I have cherished ever since."

Konan stared at him, speechlessly.

"But, there was always something I could never understand." he noted.

Konan blinked at him, "What was it?" she asked.

Gaara looked out the window, to the sky.

"Well, as a member of Akatsuki, You seek to create war. But as a person, you seem very gentle, having hobbies like origami and flower-pressing." Gaara turned to Konan, "You don't believe in the Akatsuki's ideals. It's because of Pein that you're a part of this, isn't it?"

Konan looked down at her hands.

"I need him." she whispered.

Gaara felt himself go numb. She… needed him?

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked, praying he'd misunderstood.

Konan's stared deeply into her hands, but he could tell she was looking much further.

"When I was a child, my family was killed in the last great Shinobi war. I was left travelling across the Land of Rain, when Yahiko found me."

She smiled to herself.

"Yahiko always hated the rain. He always made that silly promise to become a god & make the rain stop, and to stop the fighting as well. We became very close friends, we depended on each other. Then I found Nagato and his dog, Chibi. Nagato was badly hurt, so I helped him as best as I could. Then I took him to Yahiko, who was a little reluctant to let them in, but he eventually welcomed them into our little family. Later, we met a Shinobi who trained us in using ninjutsu, so we could survive."

Her smile faded & her eyes started watering.

"Years later, we formed a group that became so strong, Hanzō became afraid we would try to overthrow him."

Now tears were streaming from her eyes.

"Hanzō kidnapped me, and demanded that Yahiko choose between my life & his own. He took Nagato's kunai and killed himself with it without hesitation."

She was now sobbing fitfully.

"Yahiko… killed himself for me. And then… Nagato… he killed them all… & then turned Yahiko. He turned him into… into... THAT THING! DEVA!"

She screamed the last part, now crying freely into Gaara's shoulder. Gaara's eyes were wide open. He had no idea what to do in this situation.

"I-I have to get Yahiko's body back. I won't let him be remembered like this!"

Gaara could feel her tears dampening his clothes. Despite her pain, Gaara felt relief that he _had_ misunderstood.

"But, what can I do?" Konan asked, "I can't defeat him & if I try, I'll damage Yahiko's body."

She pressed her hands against her face.

"I don't know what to do." She said. Gaara reached forward & placed a hand on her back.

"Give it time, an opportunity is bound to arise." He said.

"_I shouldn't be saying this." _He thought, _"This betrays my goal. But…"_

"Listen, this person… Yahiko." He continued, "Is he the kind of person who would want you risking your life like this?"

Konan paused, her hands slowly coming down.

"No." she replied.

"What is more important, his body or his soul?"

"… ok. I guess your right. But, I can't ignore what Nagato's done."

"Everyone gets their due in the end. Whether Yahiko would want his body being used like this or not, Pein's fate is sealed. I made my promise to make Madara's clan strong, so it can reach its purpose. I will succeed no matter what."

"Madara… to this day, I still can't believe that he had such a change of heart."

Gaara didn't reply.

* * * * *

"Are you ready?" Gaara asked.

"Yeah." Konan replied pushing her hair back. Gaara held the door open for her as they left.

"Thanks." She said, smiling as she walked through the door. Gaara smiled at her back. They left the inn, giving the innkeeper his key & a tip. Temari & Kankuro weren't out yet, so Gaara & Konan waited for them.

"Hey, great place you've got here!" they heard Kankuro say, dramatically. He was being pushed out by Temari, who looked none too pleased, "I'll DEFINETLY recommend people to drop by!"

"What's up with him?" Gaara asked Temari, who shot a glare at Kankuro.

"Look at this stuff!" he said, pulling out bars of soap & other toiletries, "This place is awesome!"

Gaara stared at Kankuro.

"Have you done this every time we've stayed at a hotel?" he asked.

"Yep!" Kankuro replied, "I figure we paid enough to entitle us to some free merchandise!"

Gaara, Konan & Temari each stared at Kankuro as he pulled out the most random things. Gaara shook his head.

"Let's go." He said turning away & walking. As the rest followed, he was pleased to see that Konan had chosen to walk beside him. It was a small thing, but it was nice to glance to his right & see her there.

"_Maybe Tsunade was wrong." _He thought, _"Maybe I don't have to put what I want aside."_

As they walked, he gave a small smile. Konan noticed this & smiled as well. Things were finally looking up.


	20. The love of one, the hate of another

Chapter 20. This one really affected me, my heartbeat increased even while typing. I've said it before, i know nothing of romance, so please let me know how I've done with this. It only gets harder from here on out.

Disclaimer: Light shines from the tip of Masashi's pen, illuminating my world.

**

* * *

**

**The love of one, the hate of another**

"Well, here it is." Gaara said.

"Wow."

"Woah."

"Ahh."

Those were the collective gasps of the others as they walked around the oasis, heading for the building that up until now had just been a storage facility. But Gaara had it made into a home.

"This place is..." Kankuro began.

"Amazing." Temari finished.

"What do you think?" Gaara asked.

"They're right." Konan replied, "It really is beautiful."

She crouched down & ran her hand through the crystal water. The lake shone as the sunlight reflected off it.

"Let's get into the shade." Gaara said, as the building drew nearer. He was glad to see that it was bigger now. He was concerned Kousou wouldn't have it ready in time, but it appeared he did. They reached the house & entered through the open doorway. All of Gaara's artefacts had been moved out of the way, the place looked very much like a home now.

"I'll admit it's not very modern." Gaara said, "But hopefully you'll find it habitable."

Konan smiled at Gaara.

"This place is gorgeous." She replied, "It's perfect."

Gaara nodded.

"I'll show you your room." He said, Before turning to Temari & Kankuro, "The pantry is through there, if you're hungry."

He led Konan away into another room, the one that was to be her bedroom. Even he was surprised by what he saw in there.

The room looked like a palace. A massive four poster bed with velvet sheets stood in the middle of the room, light from a high window bouncing off the blue material. There was a wardrobe that took up nearly half the wall it occupied & a dressing table on the other side. There were vases with all kinds of flowers inside them, paintings & other kinds of decorations on the walls. At the back of the room was a spiral staircase leading up to the roof, which Gaara hadn't even known was a place optional to walk on.

"Where did he get all this?" Gaara muttered under his breath, as Konan looked around in wonder.

"By the looks of this place, I'd guess you were planning on me staying here for a long time." She said in a playful tone.

"You're more than welcome to stay as long as you want." Gaara replied, "Please consider this place your home, even if not your only one."

She smiled at him, then looked around her room some more. She opened up her wardrobe, pulling the door across. Inside, it was empty.

"I'll have Temari take care of that." Gaara said.

"That's not-" Konan began, but Gaara raised a hand, beckoning silence.

"Believe me, Temari will know best what to do here." He said, leaving the room. He found Temari & Kankuro in the kitchen, munching on some figs.

"Temari, can I ask a favour?" Gaara asked. Temari blinked.

"Sure." She replied, "What is it?"

Gaara gestured back where he'd just been.

"Konan-hime is in need of a change of clothes." He said, "She needs something for this climate."

A small grin curled on Temari's lips. She put her fig down & grabbed Kankuro by the arm.

"Let's go." She said, pulling him to the door.

"Wha- why do I have to go?" Kankuro demanded, struggling slightly.

"You don't think I'm gonna carry it all, do ya?" Temari replied, smirking.

When they were gone, Gaara returned to Konan's room. He found her running her hand across her quilt, a look of wonder on her face. She spotted him & smiled.

"My place in Amegakure was nothing compared to this!" she said.

"I'm glad you like it, Konan-hime." Gaara replied, leaning on the door frame. Konan blushed.

"Please, enough with the 'hime'." She begged, "It's embarrassing."

Gaara smiled.

"Sorry." He said. He then spotted something through the window.

"Umibe, I think Kousou would like a word." He said.

"Hai, Gaara-sama!" Umibe replied. Dispersing & flying through the window. Konan watched as he left. She then sat on her bed & looked at Gaara, gesturing for him to join her. Gaara was taken aback. It was such a forward request, he was a little shocked. But maybe she didn't see it that way, so he walked over & sat beside her.

"You have quite the life." Konan said, "It's hard to see what you don't have."

"I didn't come to this place for the quality of life." He replied, "The person I was before, it was safer for everyone else that I stayed distant."

Konan smiled, "You know, you're pretty peculiar yourself."

"Hn?"

"You talk about killing to 'prove your existence', but I've never seen you like that. You've always seemed gentle, and kind."

Gaara looked away.

"In all honesty, you're probably the only person who's seen me that way." He said.

"Why is that?" Konan asked.

"Because for some reason, it's only to you that I am that way."

Konan looked stunned. Gaara thought his words over & realised he'd been very forward.

"_That was careless." _He thought, _"But there's no taking it back now."_

"What do you mean by that?" Konan asked, her eyes fixed on his.

"It's nothing." Gaara replied, quickly, "I should-"

He made to get up, but Konan grabbed his hand.

"Don't walk away." She asked, gripping his hand, "What were you going to say?"

Gaara searched her face. It was difficult to look her in the eye. He sat back down & looked into space.

"This is something that is incredibly difficult for me to say." He said. He shifted slightly, unable to get comfortable, "For the longest time, I was seen as a demon. Whenever someone asked me why I am the way that I am, my answer would be 'I love only myself'. Those were the words I stood by for three years. I never cared about anyone other than myself. I was selfish & cold-hearted."

He then looked up, through the window, to the sky.

"But one day, something happened that made me stop believing those words."

"What happened?"

"I was just a young boy. My sensei had given me the mission to deliver a missing-nin to his subordinates. When I did so, I met someone who, in an instant, took away everything I had ever believed in, and showed me a world I never dreamed I could be a part of."

He looked down at his hands, unable to keep the smile of his face.

"I rarely ever saw her, but she always stayed in my mind. The times I did see her, my breath was taken away. She was beautiful in mind, body & soul. I yearned to be near her, to see her with my own eyes, to touch her. Even then, I had no idea what I was feeling. Temari had to spell it out to me, but when she did, I knew she was right."

He looked Konan in the eye.

"It is impossible for me to love only myself." He said, straight faced, "Do you understand what I am saying?"

Konan looked at Gaara, her mouth hanging slightly open. She was unable to find words. She licked her lips, which were very dry.

"I- I think so." She said, in a small voice, "Are... are you saying that you..."

Gaara could feel himself shaking. This was the most difficult thing he'd ever done. He could feel sweat forming on his brow. His heart was beating so hard, it hurt.

"You..." Konan continued. Her eyes were unable to stay in one place, but she was always looking at Gaara.

"... you." she continued, breathlessly. Gaara forced himself to look her in the eye.

"Yes." He said. Konan let herself fall back on the bed. She looked up at the ceiling, her mouth still hanging open. Gaara turned so he was looking down on her, his hair hanging down above her.

"Is it ok for me to say these things?" he asked, eyes fixed on hers.

"I- I..." Konan stammered, still unable to speak. Gaara moved a little closer to her, his shadow eclipsing her.

"Is it ok for me to feel these things?" he asked, confidence brewing from somewhere unimaginable.

"You... me..." her eyes were racing across his face, unable to settle for a second.

He lowered his head a little further, so they were face to face, noses almost touching. Gaara lifted his hand to move a strand of hair away from her face. He felt Konan shiver at his touch. Then, uncertainly, Konan lifted her hand & ran it through Gaara's hair. He stared into her eyes & she stared into his.

"Gaara..." she whispered. Gaara slowly moved closer. His nose touched hers. Then his hair mingled with her hair. Their lips were so close, they could feel each others breath on their skin. They were both warm, not just from the desert heat, but from being so close to one another. They were so close, so nearly touching. Then Konan pressed her finger against Gaara's lips.

"Please... say it." She begged. Her eyes & her lips were shining.

"I love you." He told her, without hesitation. She moved her finger away, her eyes wanting. As Gaara leaned forward, she closed her eyes. Their lips touched.

* * * * *

He lay there, his arms wrapped around her, watching her sleep. She still looked like an angel. He felt her hair on his face, like a curtain drawn across him. He felt every breath she made, as her chest rose & fell. How long they had been lying there, he didn't know. It didn't matter. Whenever it ended would be too soon. Gaara looked up as he heard footsteps. Carefully, he got up & before leaving, cast one last look at her.

"_My angel." _He thought, smiling. He silently closed the door & went to find the source of the noise.

In the living room, Temari & Kankuro were sitting on a sofa, shopping bags were laid everywhere. They both looked up as he came into the room.

"She's sleeping." He told them, quietly. They both nodded. Kankuro got up & headed into the kitchen. Gaara took his seat beside Temari, leaning forward & staring straight ahead, not even trying to hide the smile on his face. Temari was looking at him, wearing a bemused look.

"What's with the smile?" she asked.

"It's nothing." He replied. It may be selfish, but he wanted the joy to remain his own, at least for now.

"Ok." Temari said, stretching & yawning, "I'm going to bed."

Gaara blinked, then looked outside. He had no idea it was so late. He smiled again. After Temari got up & left, Kankuro came back in with some jerky & sat down in her place. He gave one glance at Gaara & smirked.

"I know that look." He said, "It used to be mine. So, you & Konan, huh?"

Gaara's smile turned into a grin.

"Once again I underestimate you." He replied.

"Yeah, you'd better quit that or I might get offended."

Kankuro sat back, munching on a piece of jerky.

"Well this either gonna go great, or crash & burn." He said, "But don't worry, my money's on it going better than great."

Gaara leaned back as well. One good thing about Kankuro, conversations seldom get complicated.

"You know something else?" Kankuro asked, "It gets better."

Gaara raised his brow. Was that possible?

"You've said the words?" Kankuro asked. Gaara nodded, "Has she said them back?"

Gaara thought back.

"No."

Kankuro smirked again.

"Just you wait." He said, "When she does, you'll completely lose it."

Gaara didn't know what to make of this. Kankuro patted him on the back.

"Get outta here." He said, "You're gonna want to be there when she wakes up."

Gaara nodded & left hurriedly. Kankuro grinned.

"I sure do miss it." He muttered.

Gaara carefully opened the door to Konan's room & shut it behind him. The moonlight was shining through the window, its light bathing her. She was still fast asleep as Gaara sat next to her, still peaceful. Gaara reached forward & stroked her cheek. He was no longer nervous about such things. He lay down in front of her, face to face. She was so beautiful, he couldn't believe she qas there, in front of him.

"_I am calling a meeting."_

Gaara tensed. He hated that this was interrupted, but it had to be done. He got off the bed & climbed the spiral staircase, heading out onto the roof. He sat on the ground & channelled chakra into his ring. He was on his finger of the summoning statue, but something was off. He looked around, surprised to find himself inside the cathedral. The remaining members of Akatsuki were already there.

"So, we're all here." Naraka said, "The reason we are here, is that we now have a new member to initiate."

"A new member eh?" Kisame repeated, grinning, "So who's the lucky guy?"

Footsteps could be heard, coming from the hallway at the entrance.

"This person has sought to become a member of Akatsuki for a while now." Naraka said, "He recently proved himself worthy & will now join our ranks."

The footsteps continued, ringing through the entire cathedral.

"So who gets stuck with this guy, un?" Deidara asked.

"He will be your partner, Deidara-san." Naraka replied.

"Tch, he better not get in the way of my art! Un."

"Everyone, I would like you to meet the newest member of Akatsuki," Naraka said.

The footsteps stopped.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

The silence was deafening. Everyone was staring at Sasuke, who stood tall & uncaring. He glanced up at Itachi, who was, of course, expressionless.

"Hello brother." Sasuke said. Itachi stared at him.

"What are you doing here, little brother?" he asked, barely managing to hide his surprise.

"What does it look like?" Sasuke replied, climbing the stairs. Gaara smirked, it looked like Sasuke was more in control of his emotions than he was last time Gaara saw him. Sasuke stood before the pedestal & looked up at Naraka expectantly.

"Are you ready to take the oath?" Naraka asked.

"Let's get this over with." Sasuke replied.

"Very well, mould your chakra."

Sasuke formed a hand sign & did so. Gaara knew what Sasuke would be seeing & was surprised when he didn't react.

"Do you, Sasuke of Konohagakure, vow to stand beside your fellow members of Akatsuki & to ultimately meet Akatsuki's goal, no matter the risk to your life & limb?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Say it."

Sasuke sighed, annoyed.

"I, Sasuke of Konohagakure, vow to stand beside my fellow members of Akatsuki & to ultimately meet Akatsuki's goal, no matter the risk to my life & limb."

"Tell us your reason for joining Akatsuki."

"Hatred."

Gaara glanced up & was surprised to see Itachi staring at him.

"Well done, Sasuke-san, welcome to Akatsuki." Naraka said, "Please place your ring on your right middle finger."

Sasuke reached into his pocket & pulled out Konan's ring. He placed it on his finger & looked back up to Naraka.

"The ring has now adapted to your chakra." Naraka said, "You can use it to contact your fellow members of Akatsuki, but you cannot remove it. Now you are a full member of Akatsuki. Congratulations."

Sasuke just rolled his eyes.

"Now what?"

"Deidara-san, how goes your search for the Sanbi?" Naraka asked.

"I got it, I'm bringing him over now." Deidara replied, "Hey, little-Uchiha-san, there's a cave about four miles north-north-east of Kirigakure, that's where I'm heading. Try & get there before we seal the Sanbi, un."

"Fine." Sasuke replied, as Deidara vanished. Naraka disappeared too, as did Zetsu. Kisame looked between the Gaara, Itachi & Sasuke.

"Heh, I'll leave you guys be." He said, disappearing. Gaara & Itachi were both looking at Sasuke, who was looking at neither of them.

"So you finally killed Orochimaru?" Gaara asked.

"Yeah."

"This isn't how we agreed you would join."

"There were a few changes to the plan. Three changes, in fact."

"You are referring to Suigetsu, Karin & Jugo?"

"Hn."

"So is this how you plan to kill me, Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

"Get over yourself." Sasuke replied, glaring at Itachi.

"So it's true then." Itachi said, before looking at Gaara, "Why have you done this?"

Gaara folded his arms.

"You intended to die by Sasuke-san's hand." He said, "I'm sorry, but I cannot allow that. I wouldn't recommend you to stop taking your medication either, no-one will benefit from that & to do it out of spite is idiotic. You're death could only lead to many more."

Itachi stared for a second longer, before nodding.

"Sasuke, does this mean the object of your hate are now the elders of Konoha?" he asked.

"No. Our clan were planning to betray Konoha. I have no love for such people. Besides, those wizened old crows will get their due regardless of my actions."

"So then, the person your hatred is directed at is..."

Sasuke nodded.

"I see. Well then, I'll see you at the sealing." Itachi said.

"Hn."

Itachi cast one last glance at Sasuke, before vanishing. Gaara glanced at Sasuke himself, before vanishing as well.

He got up off the ground & headed for the door. Dawn was breaking on the horizon as Gaara entered Konan's room. As he was closing the door, a light wind picked up, whistling through the crack in the door. Gaara cursed silently, turning around. She was still asleep. Gaara crept down the stairs to her, lying beside her once more.

It was just a few minutes before Konan woke up.

"Hey." She whispered, turning around to face him.

"Good morning." He replied.

They were both so close, their noses were touching. Gaara smiled at her, she looked so content.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I'm wondering when I'm going to wake up." He replied.

She smiled & wrapped her arms around him.

"There's no waking up from this." She told him, leaning in & pressing her lips against his. When he leaned forward as she tried to break away, she laughed.

"Down boy." She said, smiling. Gaara leaned back, grinning sheepishly. He reached up & stroked her cheek, loving the softness of her skin. He smiled once more before sitting up. She sat up as well, taking his hand in hers. They both stood & left the room, heading for the living room. They both sat on the sofa, Konan resting her head on Gaara's shoulder. They sat there for a while, just enjoying the company.

"It's strange, there's so much going on, yet I've never felt so relaxed." Konan said.

"Yeah." Gaara agreed, "Nothing else seems to matter."

A chuckle could be heard from behind them.

"Was it really this sickening when I was doing it?" Kankuro asked, leaning on the wall. Gaara was annoyed that their moment had been interrupted, but at least it was Kankuro who found them & not Temari. Kankuro lay down in an armchair, his legs hanging over the side. Gaara & Konan shifted so they weren't so close together. Kankuro had embarrassed both of them.

"I'll get us something to drink." Gaara said, getting up & going into the kitchen. He came back out a few minutes later carrying a tray with glasses & a jug on it. He put the tray down on the table & poured the drinks, handing a glass to Konan & Kankuro. No-one spoke as this happened; Kankuro just glanced between the two, smirking.

They sat there, drinking quietly, Gaara & Konan both feeling uncomfortable as Kankuro watched, revelling in their unease. He downed the last of his drink & stood up, grinning.

"I think I've tortured you long enough." He said, heading back to his room. But before he was gone, he had one final thing to say.

"YO TEMARI! GAARA'S GOT A GIRLFRIEND!"

Gaara wanted to throttle Kankuro. Luckily, Temari was a heavy sleeper & didn't seem to hear. Kankuro smirked back at them & waved as he left. But still, Gaara & Konan didn't relax. They were too nervous of each other. Konan gave a small smile.

"It's strange, to be called that." She said. Gaara looked at her.

"If that's not how you want this to be, then that's ok." He told her.

"Oh no! That's not what I mean!" She replied, hastily, "I've just never been in a position to be called that!"

Gaara grinned.

"It's ok." He said, "I don't consider you my girlfriend."

Konan froze, her eyebrows raised.

"Wha- what do you mean?" she asked, looking afraid.

Gaara leaned closer to her, a cool smile on his face.

"You are not my girlfriend, you are my love." He said. Konan smiled, her eyes showing relief, as she leaned closer to him as well, her lips once again pressed against his.

"If you're going to do that every time I tell you that I love you." He said, before smirking, "Then I'm going to say it all the time."

Konan smiled warmly at him, her hand on his cheek.

"You're still just a boy." She told him.

Gaara raised his brow. He hadn't expected her to say _that_.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"You & I both have very important things to do." She replied, "It's best that we don't become distracted by this."

Gaara searched her face, and then he nodded.

"Very well, but after that..." he leaned towards her again, his mouth by her ear.

"You're all mine." He whispered, in a _very _confident tone.

"I'd say the same," she replied, her lips touching his ear, "But you're already all mine."


	21. Patience is a virtue, waiting is a pain

I didn't want to get into this just yet, but i realised i didn't really have a choice. this is probably the best way to do this, but i'll try to drag it out for as long as possible. BTW sorry about that last disclaimer. the effects of depriving myself of sleep makes me come up with all sorts of strange things. saying that, i haven't slept yet & it's 7:00 am right now. aw well, i like being crazy.

**Discalimer: If i owned naruto (yes i'm back on this again) he wouldn't be summoning toads. he'd be summoning something awesome, like Falcons or Wolves... or chickens. chickens he would then feed to kyuubi & increase his own power! Now leave me alone, i'm going to get some sleep while the sun's still out.**

**

* * *

**

Patience is a virtue, waiting is a pain

"Sasuke-san, you're channelling too much chakra."

"Hn."

"That's better."

"There is a large caravan nearby. **Looks like it's just a trader."**

"Keep an eye on them. It could be a disguise."

"**Of course we thought of that! **Please don't insult us, Leader-sama."

"You're right. I apologize."

"At least this won't take as long as with Jinchūriki. No need to remove it from anything."

"That is correct, Kisame-san. But considering the size of the Sanbi, this should still take a day."

"I get to spend the whole day in a damp cave with a wet blanket? Man I love this job, un."

"Yeah, I wouldn't be caught dead in Kiri again."

"That's not to say they wouldn't try."

"Am I hearing right? Was that a joke, Itachi-san?"

"..."

"_Hrooaaarrr."_

"Tch, damn turtle."

"Shall I silence him, un?"

"No, your explosions would only make it worse. You'll have to put up with it."

"You, know, I knew the Sanbi Jinchūriki, cute kid."

"I've been wondering about that, why did they release the Sanbi, wouldn't that make them weaker, un?"

"He didn't have the killer intent Kiri wanted of him. He wasn't lazy, but he just didn't seem to care. He was completely apathetic about the Shinobi ways. The kid just loved to fish. So the Mizukage tried to have the Sanbi transferred into another, more willing, Shinobi. But they underestimated the effort it took to extract aBijū. By the time the Sanbi was out, they didn't have enough chakra left to contain it. The Sanbi left, heh, it didn't even glance at its captors."

Silence fell. Gaara looked up at the giant beast; this was the first Bijū they'd sealed. It felt different than dealing with Jinchūriki, you didn't need as much chakra, but what you did use had to be spread over a larger area. It didn't help that the Sanbi was resisting in a way only a Bijū can. A Jinchūriki didn't have the strength to resist the pain of the extraction, but Bijū were powerful enough to withstand the pressure of their own chakra, a small group of Shinobi would be no match, even if they were S-rank missing-nin.

The Sanbi thrashed against its bonds, struggling to be free. But it was having difficulty moving; one of its tails & a legs had already been absorbed, its balance thrown. But the extraction was still difficult. Not only did they have to keep the Sanbi in place, but they also had to keep it from destroying the statue, which was no easy task. Deidara ducked as a tail came close to beheading him. He cursed under his breath; the movement had caused his chakra to fluctuate. Kisame noticed this & increased his chakra output to balance it out.

"If Sasori no Danna were here, he could use his puppets to restrain this bastard, un."

"Same with Kakuzu." Kisame replied, "We're going to have to be careful, if all our immortal comrades have been defeated, then we are at a definite risk."

"Are you afraid, Kisame-san? **You sound like a weakling."**

"Why don't you come over here? I'll show you what a weakling is."

"Are you trying to intimidate us? **You're forgetting that we can move & you cannot."**

"Damn I hate it when he talks like he's two different people."

"That's not unlikely, there was a subordinate of Orochimaru's who shared his body with his brother." Gaara said.

"Sakon & Ukon." Sasuke added, "There _are_ similarities between them & Zetsu-san."

"So they're finally catching on. **It's about time; we were starting to doubt your intelligence."**

"So one of you shares the others body?" Sasuke asked.

"Not quite. You see, conjoined twins have a very special bond. One is the dominant body, the other can move freely around their sibling's body by a jutsu unique only to such people."

"So one of you is dominant, un?"

"We are the exception. Neither of us is the dominant. We both have exactly half a body, shared. **We have half a brain each. But we also have a heart, stomach & other individual organs each. **Our mother was a Shinobi who was pregnant with us, when she was hit with a jutsu. We were both affected. **We spliced together, all our organs being moved to the side. We are brothers who use each other to be whole."**

"Is that so?" Pein asked, "How unusual."

"What about you, Kisame-san? How come you look like that, un?"

"We're not on a slumber party." Kisame retorted, "Can the back stories."

"Why the serious face, un? It's unlike you to be so stern."

"My past is what it is, I'll leave it there." Kisame growled.

"Forgive my partner." Itachi said, "He'd rather forget his life in Kirigakure."

"So would you if you'd been through what I have."

"It's alright, Kisame-san, you don't have to speak." Pein said.

"I won't."

The rest fell silent, the only noise coming from the Sanbi. No-one spoke for the rest of the time, Gaara was glad when it was over & he was back in Konan's room. He stood up & brushed dust off himself. Sensing Konan behind him, he turned to face her.

"Is everything alright?" he asked her. Her eyes dropped to the ground for a second, before looking back up at him.

"It's just that, now that I'm no longer a part of... it makes a lot less sense to me."

Gaara walked over to her & placed a hand on her cheek.

"I know this may not make a lot of sense to you right now." He said, "But this is for the best."

"The best?" Konan repeated, batting his hand away, "Do you even know Pein's plan?"

"I do."

"Then how can you say it's for the best?"

"Because I don't share his ideals."

Konan blinked.

"You don't? Then what are you doing there?"

"I'm finishing my promise. I'm making his clan stronger."

"I know that, but for what? Why do you need to make Akatsuki stronger than it already is?"

Gaara's eyes looked far away as he thought about his last conversation with Madara, during Oto & Suna's invasion of Konoha.

"_Gaara-kun, what do you know about the __Rikudō Sennin?" Madara asked._

"_The Rikudō Sennin?" Gaara repeated, "He discovered chakra & was the first Shinobi, he's like a god to all Ninja."_

_Madara nodded, "He thought so too."_

"It was his wish for his clan to surpass the Rikudō Sennin." Gaara replied.

"The Rikudō... why on earth would he want that?" Konan asked, frowning. Gaara sighed & sat on Konan's bed, she sat next to him.

"Gaara, why did Madara want Akatsuki to surpass the Rikudō Sennin?" she repeated. Gaara leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

"I want you to promise that, despite what I'm about to tell you, your opinion of me won't change." He said. Konan took his hand & squeezed it.

"I promise."

* * * * *

"This- this is impossible!" Konan breathed, "Are you sure of this?"

"I have no doubt whatsoever." Gaara replied.

"But, wasn't Madara losing it? Can you be certain what he said was reliable?"

"Yes, I am certain."

"But... it just can't be..."

"I know this may be hard for you to accept."

"I can't believe it..." She whispered, "Yahiko... what have you done?"

She gasped, tears welling up in her eyes.

"This is all my fault." She said, "If I hadn't let myself get captured by Hanzō, none of this would have happened!"

Gaara placed a hand on her back & lifted her chin so she was looking at him.

"Don't blame yourself for that. It's better that it happened then, now something can be done about it. _That _is my mission."

"Your mission is to- no!"

She grabbed him by the shoulder & pulled him into her.

"Don't do this!" she cried into his shoulder, "You'll die! Please don't do it!"

Gaara put his arms around her, running a hand through her hair. He pressed his head against hers, inhaling deeply. He looked at the door, his eyes relaxed a little & he nodded.

"I give you my word; I will not allow myself to die." He said, "I will fight the Shinigami himself if I have to. But this needs to be done."

Konan searched his face before looking away.

"Goddamn Madara." She cursed, "Even when he's gone, he's still pulling the strings."

"He only did what he felt he had to do. I will finish what he started, but..."

"What? What is it?" Konan asked.

"I may need your help."

She smiled.

"I'll be there whether you like it or not." She said, pulling away. Gaara stroked her cheek again, he loved doing that. They sat there quietly for a while, both thinking about the task ahead. Konan stood.

"I'm going for a walk." She said, "I need to clear my head."

Gaara nodded & she left, giving a small wave. Gaara listened as he heard her footsteps fade away, smiling. She glided as she walked, so quiet. His smile fell when he could no longer hear her, a frown taking place on his brow.

"_What do you mean?" Gaara asked. Madara folded his arms & leant against the tree he was standing on._

"_He intended to use his new found abilities to become a deity among man. He gathered some disciples & passed some of his knowledge onto them, so his word could travel all across the world. But what he didn't foresee was that his students would then pass that knowledge onto those they met."_

Gaara stood up & walked into the kitchen, where Temari was cutting up some fruit. She smiled at him as he came in.

"Morning!" she said, brightly.

"Morning." Gaara replied, taking a date from the pantry & biting into it.

"So was that Konan-chan I heard leaving?" Temari asked, returning to her fruit. Gaara nodded in reply. Temari stopped her cutting.

"Gaara... I'm really glad you told her." She said, quietly. Gaara put his date down & looked at her.

"This isn't how I intended for you to find out... I'm sorry." He told her.

"No, it's my fault." She replied, "I shouldn't have been looking into her room."

She then dropped her knife & threw her arms around Gaara.

"I can't believe it!" She exclaimed, tears pouring down her cheeks, "My little brother!"

Gaara chuckled & returned the hug. Temari was really emotional about these things. This was why he wanted to wait before telling her, he knew she would lose it.

"It's your turn next." He said, grinning. Temari stiffened. She let go & leant against the counter.

"I don't know." She said, looking at the ground sadly, "I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

Gaara chuckled again.

"Temari, you've been ready for years." He replied, "Don't take what happened with Deidara as a reason for never trying again."

"You don't know what it's like. The first person you wanted returned your feelings."

Gaara's grin fell. He stared at Temari, frowning.

"Was it really that bad?" he asked.

"...Yeah, it was bad."

"Do you still feel strongly about him?"

Temari looked away, rubbing her arm. Gaara nodded.

"I see." He said. He decided to change the subject, "We'll be leaving soon."

"Leaving? Where are we going?"

"Konohagakure."

Temari stared at him, gaping.

"Why on earth would you wan to go _there_?" she demanded.

"I have business there." Was all that he said, before he left the kitchen, heading outside.

He sat down by the oasis, listening to the sound of the wind passing through the trees. He could see Konan on the other side, a blue speck in the distance, half sitting half lying on the ground. She was running her hand through the water, ripples appearing around her fingers. Gaara wrapped his arms around his knees, eyes spacing out.

"_Soon, Shinobi were everywhere, to his disdain. Everything he had worked towards fell apart as Shinobi began to specialize in specific jutsu. Those Shinobi then gathered together & hidden villages were born. Shinobi were trained in academies, even children were learning the Sennin's arts. This enraged him. His life's work in the hands of mere children. What was more, the wars he intended to end broke out on a larger scale, Katon jutsu burned forests to the ground & Suiton jutsu drowned valleys. Death tolls increased, Shinobi & civilian alike."_

"I hear we're going back to Konoha."

Gaara looked behind him. Kankuro stood behind him, hood down, staring at his little brother.

"If you don't want to come, you don't have to." Gaara told him.

"It's been three years." He replied, "I'm over it & Tenten will have forgotten all about me."

Gaara paused for a second, giving his brother a sorry look.

"That's unlikely." He said, "You two had a special relationship. On top of that, Naruto & Shikamaru have both encountered me, Shikamaru seeing you himself. Tenten probably knows you're affiliated with Akatsuki."

"Damn, you're right." Kankuro replied, running his hands through his hair. He paced around for a bit, thinking hard.

"I'm coming." He said, "If she sees me, then I'll get what I deserve."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."

Gaara stared at his brother for a second longer before turning back to the water. Konan had disappeared from sight, continuing her walk. Gaara was sad to not be able to see her.

"It must have been very painful for you." He said. Kankuro took a seat beside him.

"Yeah, it was pretty bad." He admitted, "The amount of times I thought I could hear her voice just about drove me insane."

He leaned back & looked out across the water.

"You finding someone like you did is nothing short of a miracle."

Gaara didn't like Kankuro's tone.

"What are you saying?" he asked, his voice slightly cold.

"Well, dad was an asshole." Kankuro replied, counting off on his fingers, "Yashamaru never had any luck with the ladies. On top of that, you've got a sister who fell for a suicidal nut job & a brother who gave up the best girl he could ever meet. And a guy like you ends up with a beauty like _Konan_?! Man, if there's a god out there, then he's a wise-cracking sonofabitch!"

"Normality doesn't seem like something we'll ever have."

"What, you want a normal life?" Kankuro asked, smirking.

"Never." Gaara replied, smirking as well.

* * * * *

"You're going to Konohagakure?" Konan asked, repeating Gaara's words, "You're not leaving me here by myself, are you?"

"Actually, I was going to suggest you stay if you didn't _want_ to come." Gaara replied, a surprised look on his face. Konan gave him a determined look.

"No way am I staying here alone." She said, "Not while you're out there having fun."

Gaara laughed, "You're right, you're not the kind of girl who waits around for other people, are you?"

"Got that right!" Konan said, grabbing her new cloak. It was blue silk with a white floral pattern on it. She threw it on & smiled at Gaara.

"Maybe this time you won't have to carry me." She said, jokingly.

"Maybe I'll do it anyway." He replied, grinning. Konan came close to him.

"Maybe I'll let you." She said, teasingly.

"You've got a room, use it." Kankuro said, passing the two of them in the hallway. Once again he'd succeeded in embarrassing both of them. Konan stepped back, blushing lightly. Gaara smirked.

"Let's go." He said, heading for the door.

"Right." Konan nodded, following him out. Temari & Kankuro were waiting for him. Temari smiled when she saw Konan.

"Hey, Konan-chan! You're coming as well?" she asked.

"Mm-hm." Konan replied, returning the smile. The four set off, but they had barely started before a voice called out.

"Gaara-samaaaaa!"

Gaara smirked as a cloud of sand blew towards them & spun around Gaara, before taking the form of his Akatsuki cloak.

"Sorry Umibe, I nearly forgot about you." He said.

"You did forget me!" Umibe replied, indignantly, before saying brightly, "But that's ok! Gaara-sama has many big thoughts in his head, I wish I was as wise as you!"

Gaara felt even guiltier about forgetting Umibe now.

"So what was it that Kousou wanted you for?" he asked, "You were away for a long time."

"Kousou-sama wanted me to tell him about your adventures!" Umibe replied, "He has begun writing the scriptures of your travels!"

Gaara sighed. With Umibe being his only connection to the sandworms, it was easy to forget how serious they were about their religion. Gaara looked ahead to the empty horizon.

"There is no need for discretion." He said, "Lets do what we can to get there as quickly as possible; it would be an annoyance if the sealing of the Yonbi began while we are near Konoha."

Saying this, he used his Subaku Fuyū to ascend into the air. Temari pulled out her fan & flew on it with her Fūton jutsu. Kankuro summoned & climbed inside Kuroari, then used it to levitate in the air. Finally, paper wings grew on Konan's back. She flew alongside Gaara, Temari floated a little lower to the left & Kankuro was behind them. They flew over the ocean of sand, the sun on their backs. Beneath them, nothing stirred, silence prevailed. Gaara smirked. He remembered something someone once told him. He said that if someone were to ask you if Wind Country had any monuments, you should say "Look to the dunes."

Then, while the person did just that, pick their pocket. Outsiders always believed that by the people of the desert were wise, kind Samaritans. But in reality, they were all after each others fortune. That was the Suna way, at least. Make yourself appear to be an ally, then stab them in the back. Gaara looked ahead to their destination, imagining Konohagakure off to the distance.

"_I have done just that." _He thought, bitterly, _"Father would be proud."_

Konan seemed to sense his displeasure, as she flew down & sat on the sand, looking at Gaara.

"Are you alright?" she asked, cocking her head. Gaara looked down at her & nodded.

"I'm just thinking back." He said, "The past is much harder to look at than the future."

"... do you always talk like that?" Konan asked, a bemused look on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, how you talk like a wise man or something, coming up with all sorts of sayings."

Gaara smirked, "Maybe I am wise."

"At your age? You haven't lived long enough, you're still just a child."

"You keep saying that, but if that were true then that would make you a pedophile."

Despite their altitude, and his current position, Kankuro could be clearly heard snickering from inside Kuroari.

"Huh, I never thought of that." Konan said, placing a finger against her chin, "How old are you anyway?"

"I am fifteen years old."

"That's all?" Konan asked, "Oh my god, I am a pedophile!"

"If it makes any difference, I won't be this age for much longer."

"Oh my god!"

Gaara stared as Konan seemed to have a mental breakdown. Then something clicked.

"How old are you?" he asked. Konan froze. Gaara could feel the tension rising as Temari & Kankuro disappeared from sight. Konan turned away, her back to Gaara. Was she moping? He moved over to her, crouched down & wrapped his arms around her.

"Angels never age." He said, "You will be forever young, my angel."

* * * * *

"Back in Fire Country." Kankuro said, "Man I hate coming here."

They were on foot again, walking through the forests. It was a little cooler than Wind country here, a light breeze blowing through the air. The path they walked on was well travelled, faded tracks going either way.

They weren't far from Konoha. About a days travel would get them there. Kankuro was in a bad mood, which was understandable, considering how much he'd lost here. Konan seemed wary however.

"I just had a thought." She said, looking ahead nervously, "There's a person who may be in Konoha. He was the person who trained Yahiko, Nagato & I all those years ago, the Sannin Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya..." Gaara repeated, his brow creasing, "I think I knew someone by that name. Of course, the Shinobi Naruto called 'Ero-Sennin'."

"That's probably him." Konan replied, a small smile on her face, "I'd like to avoid him, if possible."

Gaara nodded, "That's fine."

"So you knew Jiraiya?" Kankuro asked.

"How do _you _know him?" Temari asked a dangerous glint in her eye.

"Uh... I was given one of his books, as a gift." He replied, not daring to look Temari in the eye.

"WHO THE HELL WOULD GIVE YOU A-... Tenten. That freak has to be the most perverted woman I've ever met!"

"Yeah." Kankuro replied, a dreamy look on his face. Temari grunted disgustedly before storming off ahead. Konan looked between the two.

"Your siblings are... peculiar." She said.

"I prefer to think f them as 'entertaining'." Gaara replied, "I had a feeling that getting someone like Tenten involved with Kankuro would amuse me later on."

Konan gave him a strange look.

"That's... evil." She told him.

"Not really." Gaara argued, "Tenten was indebted to me anyway, and the two of them benefitted from it.

"I don't know, I think some of Madara's deceptiveness rubbed off onto you."

Gaara was about to reply when he sensed something strange, very close to him. He reached into his pouch & pulled out something he hadn't seen in a long time; his communication stone.

"Go on ahead." He told the others, "I'll only be a minute."

They nodded & walked on, Konan taking a second longer to leave. When they were an acceptable distance away, Gaara channeled chakra into the stone.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I thought you'd want to know, Deidara & Sasuke are both dead." The other person told him, "Apparently, Deidara sought to kill Sasuke as practice for Itachi. But in the end, he used his Kyūkyoku Geijutsu & both of them died.

"Really? What a pity. Those two are an unfortunate loss."

"How much longer is this going to take?"

"Not much longer, I promise."

"Good. You know I don't like waiting."


	22. The strength of my will

This was a difficult chapter to get into, it wasn't in my original plan. Saying that, i did find it very easy to right the part from another characters perspective. maybe that character will be the star of my next story. I wonder if anyone has any idea of where madara is going with his story. I bet you can't figure it out!

Disclaimer: The only thing i own is pizza. No, not _own it, _but OWN it! I wonder if Choji likes pizza...

**

* * *

**

**The strength of my will**

"_He realized that his error was allowing others the knowledge of his power. The only way he would be seen as a god was if he was the only being capable of the Shinobi arts. But there was no way he could make himself the only living Shinobi without people somehow discovering what he was doing. He had to wait for an opportunity to arise. The problem was, the rest of his life wasn't enough time."_

"There it is." Kankuro said, bitterly. Konoha. Gaara wasn't sure if it was his imagination or not, but the village always looked welcoming, even during the night. As far as he could tell, the only thing that had changed was that a new face had appeared on the Hokage Mountain. It was the face of... Tsunade? Was that her name? Gaara gave a mental shrug as they neared the gates.

"Umibe, revert to your normal colour." Gaara ordered.

"Hai, Gaara-sama!" Umibe replied, turning the colour of sand.

"Hey, look." Kankuro said, pointing to the entrance to Konoha, "Aren't those gatemen the guys from before?"

Gaara looked ahead. Those two were definitely the other members of the team that they encountered at the bounty station.

"Don't mind them." He said, walking on. He approached the main gates, heading straight for the gatemen. They looked up as he approached them, shock on their faces.

"Is Uzumaki Naruto here?" Gaara asked. The two of them leapt to their feet, kunai drawn.

"You think you can just waltz in here & ask us that?!" the bandaged one asked, hate on his face.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll surrender!" the other one added, angrily. In an instant they were both trapped in sand.

"I am not here as a member of Akatsuki." Gaara said, glaring at the two, "Perhaps you should contact your Hokage."

As he said this, a Shinobi with an animal mask appeared by the sides of the gatemen.

"Gaara-san." The ANBU said, "Please release these two. I will escort you to Hokage-sama."

Gaara complied, the gatemen falling back onto their seats. He turned to the ANBU & nodded.

"Take me to her." He said. The ANBU turned & walked off, Gaara & the others following him. When they arrived at Hokage Tower, they headed straight for Tsunade's office. The ANBU knocked on the door, awaiting a response.

"Come in." Came a begrudging voice. The ANBU opened the door, allowing Gaara & the others to enter. Tsunade looked up at Gaara, shock & anger on her face.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, standing up.

"I came here to speak with Uzumaki Naruto." Gaara replied, "It's regarding Uchiha Sasuke."

"You know something about him?" Tsunade asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Yes. But I will speak only Naruto, this is for his ears only."

"You are aware that after you tell him, I can just order him to pass the information to myself?"

"That is your decision, I don't really care."

Tsunade regarded him for a moment before looking away, grunting.

"He's out on a mission." She told him, "And don't ask what he's doing, because I won't- are you listening?!"

Gaara opened his eyes.

"He is seeking Uchiha Itachi." He said, "You should call him back, there is no point in his search."

"Thanks for the advice, but I don't think I'll take it." She replied.

"That is your decision." Gaara said, turning to leave.

"Hey, I didn't give you permission to go!" Tsunade exclaimed angrily.

"You're right, you didn't." Gaara replied as he walked out the door, the others in tow. Tsunade dropped back into her chair, looking seriously pissed off.

"He's as arrogant as ever." She noted, her brow creased.

"Yes, but what he is doing is necessary." Jiraiya replied, sitting outside, "It's best to leave him be."

"I guess. But I won't tolerate his lack of respect!"

"Cut him some slack, what he's doing isn't easy."

Tsunade rested her head on her fist.

"Tch. I still think we should stop him. What he's doing is worse than anything Akatsuki has done."

"I'll admit, his story is unlikely. If he's telling the truth, then the way of the Shinobi will change forever. Then again, if not, then we could have a problem."

"Which is why we should investigate this ourselves. He didn't tell Naruto much & what he did say is impossible."

"How do you suggest we do that?"

"... damn."

Jiraiya chuckled. Tsunade frowned at her desk.

"And that woman." She said, "She looked familiar."

"Yeah. I know what you mean..." Jiraiya shot up, staring at the group leaving Hokage tower, "Wait a minute, _Konan?!_"

"Konan?" Tsunade repeated, "Wasn't she a student of yours?"

Jiraiya didn't reply. He was already gone.

* * * * *

He walked through a park, wandering in the dark. Temari & Kankuro were staying at an inn, but Gaara decided to stay outside. Konan came along as well, enjoying the idea of time alone with each other. But that wasn't what was on Gaara's mind. Things were getting complicated.

"_To give himself more time, he created a jutsu powerful enough to grant him immortality, without losing his mind. He called it 'Keiro no Hanasu'."_

"'_Keiro no Hanasu'?" Gaara repeated, "Paths Divide?"_

_Madara smiled, "Something like that."_

"_What was its purpose?"_

"_To kill him."_

"So this is Konoha?" Konan asked, "It's a nice place."

"I'm glad you think so."

Gaara & Konan stopped as a shady figure dropped from the rooftops. The figure was blocking their path, staring at the two of them.

"And who might you be?" Konan asked, her hand secretly changing to paper.

"What's the matter Konan-chan?" the figure asked, "You've forgotten me already?"

The figure stepped forward, moonlight shining on him.

"Sensei?!" Konan exclaimed. Gaara looked between the two, wondering in what world these two could even meet.

"It's been a long time." Jiraiya said, a small grin on his face, "This sure is a welcome surprise."

Konan looked away, a nervous look on her face.

"Do you want to leave?" Gaara asked her quietly.

"Leave?" Jiraiya repeated, "What, did I do something?"

"You left..."

"Huh?"

"YOU LEFT US!" She screamed, causing Gaara & Jiraiya to take a step back.

"What are you talking about?" Jiraiya asked, a scared look on his face.

"You left us all alone." Konan replied, tears welling up, "We still needed you!"

Jiraiya stared at Konan, his brow furrowed.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Don't pretend you care!" Konan cried, running off. Gaara watched as she left, angry at Jiraiya for upsetting her. But being anger would not be helpful, so he forced himself to calm.

"Years ago." He said, "A man named Hanzō kidnapped her & offered her life in exchange for Yahiko's."

Jiraiya was staring at him, eyes wide.

"You mean..."

"Yahiko killed himself. Then Nagato lost it & killed Konan's captors, the exception being Hanzō, who escaped. It would seem that Konan blames you for this."

"Yahiko... he was a cool kid. I can't believe he's gone."

"He isn't."

Jiraiya paused, giving Gaara a strange look.

"What do you mean?"

"It takes more than a kunai to kill a god." Gaara said, turning to leave. But Jiraiya was by his side in a second, his hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"No." He said, "Tell me what you know."

Gaara stared at the spot Konan had disappeared at.

"_To kill him?" Gaara repeated, "Why would he create a jutsu to end his own life?"_

"_So he could be reborn."_

_Gaara stared at Madara. What was he saying?_

"_He knew of immortality jutsu." Madara continued, "But he also knew that those who use them live cursed lives. Instead, he created a reincarnation jutsu."_

"Training Yahiko & Nagato was a mistake." Gaara said, his cloak shifting so Jiraiya's hand lost its grip. He left Jiraiya standing there & went to look for Konan. She wasn't far away. After she'd disappeared from sight, she'd slowed down to a walk. Gaara caught up with her & put an arm around her waist.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I hoped I wouldn't see him." Konan replied, "It brings up too many bad memories."

Gaara looked at her. He didn't know what to say. In the end, he decided being there was all he could do. They found a bench & sat down on it. The moon was disappearing behind some buildings. It wouldn't be long before sunrise. Gaara watched Konan, who appeared to be in her own world. Gaara sighed & sat back on the bench, his arms hanging over the back. The action seemed to snap Konan out of her trance, she glanced at Gaara questioningly.

"I wonder what will happen when my mission is over." He said, tilting his head back so he was facing the sky, "It's hard to imagine doing anything else."

"When you spend your whole life preparing for one moment, you're left feeling empty as the moment passes." Konan replied, resting her head on Gaara's shoulder. Gaara smirked.

"Then I'll have to find something else to spend the rest of my life doing." He said.

"I think I know what you're saying." Konan said, shifting a little closer to Gaara, "But you shouldn't call me a _thing. _I might get offended."

"What happened to 'you're still just a boy'?"

"That doesn't mean I can't tease you." Konan replied, smirking.

"And you call me evil."

Konan laughed as Gaara pretended to sulk. She put her arm around his shoulders and cuddled up to him. She soon fell asleep, right there on the bench. Gaara smiled to himself as he felt her breath on his face.

* * * * *

"We'll get him next time." Haruno Sakura said, "He can't run away forever."

"Yeah." Replied a melancholy Uzumaki Naruto, "See you later Sakura-chan."

The pink haired Kunoichi waved to Naruto as she walked away in the direction of her home. Naruto took his time walking to his apartment, looking at the ground with his hands in his pockets.

"_Sasuke." _He thought, _"Where are you?"_

They had just returned from their mission to capture Uchiha Itachi, which was a failure. Not only had Itachi escaped, but they'd even encountered Sasuke, but he also got away. Was it a coincidence that the two Uchiha's had been in the same place at the same time? No. Sasuke found Itachi. Does that mean that they were now fighting, or had already fought? If so, who was the winner? Naruto couldn't empty his mind of all these worrying thoughts.

He passed Ichiraku Ramen, where the man himself was getting ready to open up.

"Hey, Naruto-kun!" Ayame called, "Coming for an early breakfast?"

"I'll drop by later." Naruto replied, "I just got back, I'm going home for now."

"Ok, see you then!" Ayame said, brightly. Ichiraku frowned as Naruto exited the street. Something was definitely bothering his best customer.

Naruto climbed the stairs up to his apartment, a sombre look on his face. He opened the door to his room & stepped inside. It made him feel a little better to see his home tidy on his return; he was glad he'd thought to clean it up before he left. He didn't bother changing into his pyjama's, he just fell on his bed, exhausted. Spending so many nights sleeping in the dirt, he often forgot how comfortable his own bed was. The breeze was nice too.

His eyes snapped open. Why was there a breeze? He looked up at his window, surprised to see it open. He was sure he'd closed it when he left.

"Naruto-kun."

Naruto snapped up to a sitting position, looking at the invader in shock.

"Gaara?!" he exclaimed, all signs of tiredness forgotten, "What are you doing here?"

Gaara was leaning against the wall, arms folded as he looked to the hyperactive Ninja.

"There's something I think you should know." He said, "About Uchiha Sasuke."

"What, have you seen him?" Naruto demanded, leaping to his feet.

"One week ago, he became a full member of Akatsuki."

Naruto's eyes opened wide, his mouth hanging open.

"That- that's impossible." He breathed, "Why would Sasuke join the same organization as his brother?"

Gaara closed his eyes.

"Uchiha Sasuke no longer aims to kill Uchiha Itachi." He said, "He instead aims to work alongside him."

"WHAT?!" Naruto exclaimed, grabbing Gaara by the shirt, who opened his eyes in surprise, "Why would he do that?"

"He's keeping his word." Gaara replied, "I told him the truth about Itachi, in exchange for his help with my mission."

Naruto blinked, "He's- he's helping _you_?"

"Yes."

Naruto let go of Gaara's shirt, letting out a sigh of relief.

"That's good to know." He said, "So, you came all this way just to tell me this?"

"No. I actually have something to request of you."

"You do? Name it!"

"I need to speak with Hatake Kakashi."

"Hm? Kaka-sensei?" Naruto repeated, "Why do you need to talk to him?"

"It's an experiment I am conducting." Gaara replied, "The information I could gain is vital to my mission."

"Uh, ok then." Naruto said, losing a little steam, "I'll do my best to help."

"Thank you." Gaara said, turning to leave.

"Hey, Gaara?"

Gaara turned around, looking at his one-time friend.

"Is this mission the reason you helped us?" Naruto asked, "You know, back at the Chunin exams."

Gaara turned back to the door, unable to look him in the eye.

"I only found out about this mission during the invasion at the third exam." He said, "Everything up to that point was preparation for that mission to begin. But to answer your question, no. At that point, my mission was to stop Orochimaru from gaining the Sharingan. I was ordered to kill either Orochimaru, or Uchiha Sasuke. The only reason I helped you was because of the Curse Seal."

Naruto stared at his back, silently.

"I ask you to understand, "Gaara continued, "I never believed in Akatsuki's goals, back when I didn't know the truth. It was my master's will for me to join Akatsuki & it was my will to follow my master's will. I gave him my word."

"Oh... right." Naruto replied, eyes on the ground.

"But I am glad I helped you. You & Shikamaru were the first people that I considered to be friends."

"Wha- really?" Naruto asked, surprised.

"Yes."

Naruto stared at Gaara for a couple of seconds longer, before grinning broadly.

"Alright then!" he said, "I'll see you later, after I speak to Kaka-sensei!"

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Gaara said, as he left.

* * * * *

Gaara walked through the streets of Konoha, the sunlight shining on his back. They had each gone their separate ways, deciding to spend the day by themselves. Konan was down at the hot baths, she had aches after sleeping on the bench. Temari was going for a walk in the forest while Kankuro was going to get something to eat. Gaara looked around the stores, wondering why he never purchased anything. Looking back, the only time he had ever bought anything was whenever Umibe was hungry, which was rarely seeing as the sandworm's position as his cloak didn't burn too much energy. But as he looked at what the stores had on offer, he realized why he never bought anything.

"_Do people really need these things?" _he thought, _"Why would there be any demand at all for such useless trinkets?"_

He passed a shop selling water imported from all over. He was having difficulty imagining something more idiotic. But the shop suddenly became very interesting as he spotted a Kunoichi with brown hair tied in buns. Gaara looked at all the different bottles of water. There were some from Kirigakure... Kumogakure... Sunagakure? Gaara shook his head. What nonsense. Carefully, he glanced to his right. Damn. She was looking right at him. He knew there would be no avoiding what was about to happen, so he turned to face her completely. Tenten slowly walked over to him, uncertainty clear on her face.

"Gora-san?" she asked.

"Gaara."

"Oh, sorry. What are you doing here?"

"Passing through, talking to old acquaintances."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"You wish to see him." Gaara noted.

"What? No!" Tenten exclaimed, "I now he's your brother, but that bastard left me!"

"He told me himself that was his single biggest regret." Gaara replied, "He often said that what you two had was something he would never experience again."

Tenten faltered for a second. Then she folded her arms & looked away.

"Why should I care?" She asked, "He made his choice!"

"If you didn't care, then you wouldn't be showing so much emotion."

Tenten didn't answer, but she tensed a little at Gaara's words. He sighed.

"I wonder..." he began.

"What?" Tenten asked, scowling.

"Do you keep your word?"

Tenten stared at him, frowning.

"Of course I do!" she replied, "What kind of person would I be if I didn't?"

"I see..." Gaara said, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"Why?"

"I remember you once made a promise to me." He replied, moving minutely, so the sunlight would bounce of Sasayaki & glance her eyes.

"Argh." She groaned, shielding her eyes. Then she blinked, "Are you saying..."

"Where's a good place to do this?"

Tenten paused for a second, disbelieving. Then her expression changed to that of determination as a grin spread across her lips.

"Come on." She said, running off. Gaara smirked & followed her.

She led him to a dojo in the woods. She pulled open the door & poked her head inside.

"Lee-kun!" she called, "Can I borrow this place for a minute?"

"Of course my youthful comrade!" Lee replied from inside, "If training is your aim, then this is your domain!"

"Uh... right." Tenten said, pulling the door aside. Rock Lee stood inside, his thumb up & a shining smile on his face. His smile dropped the instant he saw Gaara.

"You..." he said, "You are to spar Tenten-chan?"

"If you will allow me, yes." Gaara replied, bowing, "Unless you don't want me here?"

Lee shook his head.

"Naruto-kun explained what happened back there." He said, "You were not in a safe state of mind. He told me of your efforts to fix your mistake. I thank you for that!"

Lee bowed, much to Gaara's surprise.

"You're sure?" he asked. Lee snapped back & gave a thumbs up.

"Definitely!" he exclaimed, "Besides, I would very much like to see the power of your youth without the ailment of your demons!"

Tenten sweat dropped at her teammate.

"Very well, I hope this will entertain you." Gaara said, entering the dojo. Lee took a seat on the sidelines, a very serious expression on his face.

"I shall referee this battle!" he announced, "What are the rules?"

"One weapon each, a naginata." Tenten replied, "Whoever's weapon breaks first, or is unable to continue loses. How does that sound, Gaara-san?"

"That is fine." Gaara replied, "But how about we make it more interesting?"

"How so?" Tenten replied, smirking.

"The victor can make one request of the loser, who must comply without complaint."

"That's a deal!" Tenten replied, excitedly. She eyed Sasayaki, a look if desire on her face.

"Would the combatants please take your positions!" Lee called. Gaara & Tenten stood in their designated positions, staring each other down.

"You better not hold back!" Tenten said, challengingly.

"This battle is to preserve honour." Gaara said, removing his gourd & tossing it to the side.

"A battle to preserve honour requires both combatants to fight at full strength." He continued, his cloak dispersing & settling next to the gourd.

"To fight an opponent such as yourself, I must put aside my concern of others & focus entirely on this match." He went on, removing his shirt. Tenten blushed slightly as his bare chest was revealed. He placed a hand on Sasayaki & drew her, running a hand down her shaft.

"Despite these words, this is not a fight between you & I." He said, removing his naginata's guard, "This is a fight between your naginata & Sasayaki."

"Well said!" Tenten told him. She summoned her own naginata, which looked nothing compared to Sasayaki, "But you're wrong. It's you & Sasayaki against Nakigoe & I! Don't underestimate me or I'll have my way with you!"

"Excuse me?"

Tenten blushed again & shook her head in annoyance.

"Would you put your shirt back on?" she asked, clutching her head.

"Lee-san?" Gaara asked.

"Combatants may fight in whatever condition they choose, but are not allowed to augment their abilities through choice of clothing!" Lee announced.

"Then I shall remain as I am." Gaara said, taking his battle stance.

"Fine, but I'd hate to scar that body!" Tenten warned.

"Perhaps your attention should be somewhere other than my body." Gaara replied, resulting in Tenten blushing furiously.

"Are both combatants ready?" Lee asked, "Then... BEGIN!"

Gaara didn't move as Tenten charged at him. He didn't blink as she swung Nakigoe at him. But at the last possible second, Sasayaki intercepted the attack. Tenten recoiled, grabbing her shoulder & wincing.

"My turn." Gaara replied, dashing forward. He held Sasayaki, blade aimed at Tenten's stomach. He thrust forward, but at the last second, as Tenten blocked, he used a Shunshin without disguise to get behind her. He swiped at the back of her knees with the safe end of Sasayaki, but Tenten dodged it just in time.

"Your turn." He said, adopting a defensive stance.

Tenten ran at Gaara, the blunt end of Nakigoe facing him. She planted it in the ground & vaulted at him, aiming a kick at his chest. Gaara raised Sasayaki, who took the attack, but Gaara was pushed back several meters.

"Why did you suggest this?" Tenten asked, jumping back.

"You have misdirected anger." Gaara replied, "I suggested this so you could get it out of your system."

He circled her, then ran forward, rolled towards her & stabbed. She leapt over Gaara, avoiding the attack & countering with a downward slash, which Gaara blocked, resulting in a struggle for the upper hand.

"What do you mean 'misdirected anger'?" Tenten asked, pushing hard.

"For years now you have been angry at Kankuro for leaving you." Gaara replied, his face still in comparison to Tenten's strained one.

"Of course I'm angry at him!" Tenten retorted, pushing harder, "That asshole left me!"

"He left to be there for his family. Is that a bad thing to do?"

"No." Tenten replied, breaking the struggle. She leapt back, gripping Nakigoe tightly. Gaara stood still as he looked at Tenten.

"You are not angry at Kankuro for leaving." He said, "You are angry at me for taking him away."

Tenten blinked. She then glared at Gaara & charged, attacking him in a feral manner. Gaara blocked the continuous assault; he was left with no openings to attack himself. Gaara noticed the fire in both Tenten & Lee's eyes. This fight was going to be interesting.

Maybe not. Gaara spotted something in Tenten that made him decide to end the fight. He grabbed Nakigoe by the hilt. Tenten stared in shock as he snapped it with a flick of his wrist.

"Do you see it now?" he asked, "The reason why Kankuro left you for myself?"

Tenten's eyes were brimming with tears.

"Why?" she whispered.

"A person's will is the most powerful force imaginable. It can build civilisations & destroy them. The force of my will is so powerful, it emanates from my body. My will becomes the will of others. Just seconds ago, I noticed your will falter. It was then that I realized this battle was over."

"What are you saying?"

"It was my will for you to get over your anger. That became your will as well. You were not as angry as before."

Tenten fell to her knees.

"I could never win this fight, could I?" she asked, looking down.

"No. Your will is strong, but it has no direction. If you wish to achieve true strength, you must find what your heart wants & seek it."

He pulled Tenten back to her feet.

"Like your body, your will can become stronger if you hone it."

"How? How can your will be so strong?"

"There are three people in this world whose will is stronger than my own. My master was one of those people. He willed me to become strong, so it happened."

Gaara turned away.

"As victor for this fight, you must now obey my will." He said. He turned his head slightly, looking Tenten in the eye, "Go to him."

Tenten faltered for a second. She looked up at Gaara, a worried expression on her face. Then she nodded & ran out of the dojo. Lee stood beside Gaara.

"It was not your will to win." Lee said.

"My will was for her to lose her anger." Gaara replied, "It was _her _will to lose."

"You are adept at manipulating more than sand, Gaara-san. But you should watch out, there may be people whose will could manipulate _you._"

Gaara nodded. He gathered his things & bade farewell to Lee.

"_Three people whose will is stronger than my own." _He thought, _"Uchiha Madara, Uzumaki Naruto, and you, 'Pein'."_


	23. Their true nature

A certain part of this chapter made me uncomfortable, guess which. I'm pleased to say that this will be the last chapter i write on a laptop, i just got a PC in my room! It has a widescreen tv for a monitor! Sound is pretty crap though, everything echoes. I recently discovered that i'm addicted to the reviews i get for this story, which is another reason why this chapter was so difficult to write, because I didn't get my daily review! Hmph, whatever.

Disclaimer: No! No disclaimer til i get my review!

**

* * *

**

Their true nature

Gaara stepped out of the woods, back into Konoha. Tenten had disappeared from view & Lee stayed at his dojo. Gaara rubbed the back of his neck & looked up at the sky.

"_I hope I don't have another awkward encounter like that." _

But he'd barely formed this thought in his head before he heard a loud thud. He looked to his left & was surprised to see the sand formed up into a wall, with a figure embedded in it. He heard another thud & the sand dispersed, revealing a figure sprawled on the ground.

"Ouch... that hurt." Naruto said, a dazed look on his face.

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto shook his head & leapt to his feet.

"HEY, GAARA!" he yelled, causing Gaara to flinch.

"Stop yelling." He ordered. Naruto grinned.

"Sorry." He said, rubbing the back of his head.

"That's fine." Gaara replied, "Is there something you wanted?"

Naruto blinked.

"Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, "I talked to Kaka-sensei & he agreed to see you!"

"Already?" Gaara asked surprised, "It wasn't necessary for you to do it immediately!"

"That's alright! We just got back from a long mission, so we get a couple of days off! Come on!"

Naruto grabbed Gaara's wrist & pulled him away, Gaara struggling to keep his feet on the ground.

They stopped in an open field with three large stumps sticking out of the ground.

"Man this place brings back memories!" Naruto said, grinning, "HEY KAKA-SENSEI!"

"There's no need to yell, Naruto-kun." Kakashi replied, appearing from behind one of the stumps.

"Huh? I don't believe it..."Naruto said, a shocked look on his face, "You're actually on time?"

"Well this is a fairly peculiar situation." Kakashi replied, giving Gaara an angry look, "I'd never have expected _you_ to bring a member of Akatsuki who was seeking my help."

He turned to Gaara.

"Speaking of that, why exactly should I help you?" he asked, distaste evident in his voice.

"If you assist me, then I will give you information on the leader of Akatsuki."

"That's a nice offer, but a subordinate of the late Orochimaru already gave us his data on Akatsuki."

"Even if that's true, Orochimaru didn't know who led Akatsuki. You won't have any significant data on _him._"

Kakashi frowned & pulled out an old book from his pouch.

"Kaka-sensei, is this really the time?" Naruto asked, an exasperated look on his face.

"This is a copy of the book Kabuto gave us." Kakashi replied, flicking through it. When he reached the end, he looked up at Gaara, "You are correct, but why should I trust you?"

Gaara reached into his pocket & pulled out a small plastic wallet with a dark object inside. He tossed it to Kakashi, who caught it warily.

"A person close to myself managed to procure that." Gaara said, "It is a shard of something vital to the leader's jutsu. You can keep that, regardless if you help me or not."

Kakashi studied the black shard closely, before pocketing it.

"Alright then, we have a deal." He said, "What do you need?"

"I wish to learn what you know about shape & nature manipulation." Gaara replied, noting the cheesy grin appearing on Naruto's face.

"I already mastered that!" he proclaimed, proudly.

"Why would you want to learn that?" Kakashi asked, "It's not necessary for your fighting style."

"It's not for myself." Gaara replied, shaking his head.

"Your siblings? I don't think Temari or Kankuro need to know that either."

"It's not them. I wish to know how nature manipulation & Raiton chakra can work together."

Kakashi frowned.

"Raiton?" he repeated, "Why on earth would you need to know that?"

"I believe I can create a collaboration jutsu with the knowledge."

"I have never heard of a case where Raiton & Fūton have been used in a collaboration jutsu. I doubt it could be done with sand either."

"This jutsu is not for my own use."

"I see. So what do you want to know?"

"How can Raiton chakra be manipulated by shape manipulation?"

"Well, the kind I'm most familiar with is the surge. But with Raiton chakra, there are many possibilities."

"What about a chain?" Gaara asked, "That links between targets?"

"Chain lightning?" Kakashi said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "That's an interesting idea, but it would be incredibly difficult to perform. Most likely it would be a one-shot jutsu at best. Plus you'd need to chain between conductors of electricity, but that should be no problem against Shinobi, they carry a lot of metal on their person. Hang on."

He pulled out several kunai & leapt high into the air, throwing the kunai at random spots. He landed back on the ground & rolled his sleeve back & flew through a series of hand signs. His hand was enveloped in blue chakra, in the from of a string of lightning, spiralling around his hand & arm. He dashed & struck one of the kunai, which exploded.

"Hmm." Kakashi said, "There is no way I can think of to direct the chakra from one target to another."

"I see... then how about a pulse?" Gaara suggested.

"That's a bad idea." Kakashi replied, "I tried something like that once, I ended up in hospital for a month with severe burns. No one is safe from that kind of attack, enemies, allies or the user."

Gaara frowned & thought to himself. It was then that Naruto had an idea.

"Hey, one morning, when I got out of bed, I sort of dragged my feet across the floor. Then I went to turn the tap on in my bathroom, but I got a shock. What do you call it when that happens?"

"Static electricity." Kakashi replied, "Hmm. If that could be moulded into a jutsu, what effects would it have on an enemy?"

Then his eyes widened.

"The Rasenshuriken!" he exclaimed, hitting his palm.

"What is that?" Gaara asked.

"It's my ultimate jutsu!" Naruto said, grinning.

"It's an S-rank Fūton jutsu." Kakashi explained, "But what's interesting is that instead of slicing the enemy, like most Fūton jutsu, the Rasenshuriken strikes the target with millions of microscopic chakra needles, attacking each individual cell. However, it became a Kinjutsu because it also damages the user."

"So then why are you mentioning it?" Gaara asked.

"If it can be replicated with Raiton jutsu, by using shape manipulation to turn the chakra into static, then it should be simple to recreate the effects of the Rasenshuriken. The difference is, Naruto-kun needs to use the Rasenshuriken as a close-range attack, but in this case, the static chakra should jump to the target, not even necessitating a direct hit!"

Gaara's eyes widened at the thought. He turned to see Naruto's reaction, surprised to see him moping.

"Kaka-sensei," He muttered, depressed, "you make all my effort sound useless."

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun." Kakashi said, rubbing the back of his head, "But this is an interesting idea, could you create a Kage Bunshin? I'll probably need most of my chakra & I'd like to test this out."

"Sure thing!" Naruto said, depression forgotten. He formed a hand sign, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

A clone of Naruto appeared by the originals side. The clone ran off, making room for Kakashi, who began forming hand signs.

"Try to maintain it for as long as possible." Kakashi said, as he finished his hand-signs.

Unlike before, the chakra didn't take external form, but instead made Kakashi's hand glow blue, with a snow-crash effect, like when the holograms of the Akatsuki members were disrupted. Kakashi gripped his chakra-infused arm & ran at the clone, which looked more than a bit nervous.

"Chidori Gaidoku!" he called, throwing his open palm forward. A flicker of blue appeared from the gap between the two, which struck its target.

What happened next was a sight to see. The clone froze in its place, a blue glow emitting from it. Then the snow crash effect covered it, causing the clone to become difficult to see. Then a hissing & crackling noise could be heard as the clone flickered. The final effect was that the flickering increased, until the clone had completely disappeared, leaving only a singed scent in the air.

"Well, good marks for appearance." Kakashi said, before turning to Naruto, "How did it feel?"

Naruto shuddered.

"Uh, like when you're foot goes to sleep, it starts of numb, but then you get that sharp stabbing feeling all over, but it just gets worse. It's not painful, but _really _irritating."

"All right." Kakashi said, "It seems over all effective. Plus there's no surrounding damage & it's not too loud. Good for stealth missions. The only difficult part is maintaining it until you actually attack, or else you could end up just like that Bunshin."

Kakashi looked up to Naruto, a stupid grin visible through his mask.

"I have a new jutsu!" he proclaimed, like a child with a new toy, "Uh... why are we here again?"

Naruto sweat dropped. When he pointed to Gaara, Kakashi blinked.

"Oh, right!" he said, "Is that what you were looking for?"

"Yes, you were very helpful." Gaara replied, nodding in thanks, "I take it you would like to me to fulfil my end of the bargain?"

"Hm? Oh, later." Kakashi said, "I want to test this technique some more first. Then I'll take it to get ranked, I'll drop by some time tonight."

Gaara nodded, turning around to leave. When Naruto & Kakashi were out of earshot, he spoke.

"Did you get all that?" he asked.

"_Yes. I could have figured it out myself, but it was a good plan to get a lab rat to test it out first."_

"That was the general idea."

"_I suppose I'll go practice with him then. Gaara-san, this better be worth my while."_

"It will be, I assure you."

"_I'll believe that when I see it. There's only one thing in this world you can depend on."_

* * * * *

Konan stepped into the hotel room, where Gaara was lying on the sofa. He sat up when he heard her & looked up as she entered the room. He had to try his best to suppress certain desires as he saw her. She wasn't completely dry from her time at the baths & because of this, her clothes were tight on her skin. Despite his efforts, he couldn't hide the look in his eyes. Konan gave him a look herself.

"Like what you see?" she asked, seductively. Gaara blinked & looked away, faintest signs of embarrassment on his face. She laughed & headed into her room, leaving Gaara to cool off on his own.

"_She's getting the upper hand here," _he thought, _"I can't let that happen. I wonder..."_

A few minutes later, Konan returned to the living room dry & in a change of clothes. She turned to say something to Gaara, but faltered at what she saw.

Gaara was on the floor, meditating. But that wasn't what surprised her. It was the fact that he was shirtless.

"G-Gaara?" she said, uncertainly, but he didn't seem to hear. He just breathed in... and out... in... and out. Konan watched as his chest rose & fell, a strange feeling inside of her.

"Gaara?" she checked again, although for different reasons. When again he didn't reply, she cracked a smile.

"So that's your game." She muttered, quietly walking to his side. She reached out a hand and delicately ran her fingers across his arm. If she was expecting a reaction, she was disappointed. However, her disappointment was overshadowed by another sensation she felt from touching his muscular arm. But she was determined no too lose this little contest, she reached out with her other hand & stroke his neck. But it was the same case as before, she was the only one to react. She sat down behind him & tried again with his back, but to no avail. His cool skin felt nice against hers, which was steadily growing warmer. She tried again with his chest, feeling his strong muscles & shivering. She was more than a little frustrated that her advances were backfiring on her, she decided to get childish. But as her hand lowered, she heard a sound.

"Uh... Konan?"

Terrified, Konan slowly looked up. Kankuro was staring at her, a shocked look in his eyes. Konan's face flushed with complete embarrassment, she leapt away from Gaara, a horrified look on her face.

"It- it wasn't what it looked like!" she exclaimed, pressing herself against the wall.

"I don't know, it looked like you were trying to take advantage of my little brother." He replied, but he shrugged, "However, I could be mistaken... I'll ask Temari, just in case I'm wrong."

"No!" Konan cried, waving her arms. Temari would kill her, "That's not necessary, I was just fooling around!"

"That's what it looked like." Kankuro replied, seriously. Konan's face turned an even deeper shade of red.

"No, that's not what I meant!" she exclaimed, "Please, please don't tell Temari! I'll do anything!"

"Heh, heh. Just make sure next time you try something like that, don't get caught."

Konan was shaking with embarrassment as Kankuro left. He shut the door behind him & smirked.

"Heh, too easy." He said, heading back to the lobby.

Back in the hotel room, Konan had rushed into the bathroom to splash cold water on her face, to cool herself down. Gaara remained in the same position, unmoving, with no awareness of what just happened.

* * * * *

That night, Temari bought dinner from a takeaway, which they ate in the hotel room.

"Hey Gaara, guess what?" she said, "They had your favourite!"

She placed down in front of him a plate of salted tongue & gizzard. Gaara grinned & thanked Temari, not noticing the strange looks everyone was giving him at his choice of meal. Konan leaned over to Kankuro.

"Does he really like that stuff?" she asked.

"What, disappointed the first tongue in his mouth's not yours?" he asked back, causing her to blush furiously.

"What was that?" Temari asked from across the table.

"Nothing!" Konan replied quickly. Kankuro chuckled. They say down & ate their dinner, with little conversation occurring. Konan seemed to be the only one taking table manners into account. Gaara was hunched over his meal, mere centimetres away from his plate. Kankuro was slouching in his seat, picking bits of his food up with his fingers & popping them into his mouth. Temari was a little better, but she was leaning on the table, her head resting on her hand.

"Hey, Gaara." Kankuro said, "Tenten came to see me earlier. Thanks."

"How did it go?" Gaara asked.

"Well, when she found me, she was mad as hell." He replied, a small smile on his face, "But after I calmed her down, we got to talking, it was like old times again."

"So how are things between you two?" Temari asked, looking concerned.

"A little rocky, she said she'd be willing to be friends." He answered, "I guess that's more than I expected."

"I'm sure you two will be fine." Gaara told him.

"Maybe, but I won't be asking more of her, I've caused her too much trouble."

"In time, she may be the one asking more of you."

"You think so?" Kankuro asked, hopefully.

"She was never mad at you, it's taking her time to get over that fact. You may not even realise when things are like they were."

Kankuro smiled again & they fell back into silence. Gaara, who was first to finish eating, stood up.

"I'm going out, I'll be back in a while." He said, heading for the balcony door. When he was outside, he leapt to the roof & waited.

"So you're here." Kakashi said, landing on the roof.

"We had a deal," Gaara replied, "I don't go back on my word."

"I see. Then what can you tell me about your leader?"

"Have you found out anything about that item I gave you?"

"No. They're still working on it."

"Very well." Gaara said, leaning against a water tower, "The leader of Akatsuki calls himself 'Pein'. But that is just an alias."

"So then who is he really?"

Gaara took a deep breath. This was going to be difficult to explain.

"_I once met the Rikudō Sennin." Madara said._

"_How is that possible?" Gaara asked, "You may be immortal, but he was beyond even your time."_

"_His reincarnation jutsu was successful." Madara replied, "Anyway, this was before Konohagakure was born, I was what you would call a 'chunin', although such ranks hadn't been created yet. The elders of my clan had received word of a powerful artefact. This artefact was the __Gedō Mazō, a statue capable of removing the souls of any living thing & to seal the Bijū within it. I was a member of a squad sent to recover this statue. We found the temple which housed it, which was said to be guarded by a holy order who would allow no-one to enter. But when we got there, the guardians were all dead, their homes burned to the ground. It appeared that another clan had interests in the Gedō Mazō. We entered the temple carefully, wary of traps & ambushes. But there were none. The ones who killed the monks were either very arrogant or insanely powerful. I myself was rather headstrong, I split off from my squad & sought the statue alone. I found the chamber containing the statue, but I found something even stranger. A single Shinobi stood before the statue. My Sharingan confirmed that he had aligned himself with the statue. But I must have made a sound, because he turned to face me. I saw in his eyes the Rinnegan, but at the time I knew of no such thing. One thing I did no, however, was the Uchiha clan in its entirety could not hurt this man, he was so powerful. I believed at that moment I was to die, but then he did something unexpected."_

"_What did he do?" Gaara asked, hooked on Madara's words._

"_He smiled." Madara replied, "He looked me in the eye & said 'Not yet'. He formed a single, unrecognizable, hand sign... and he died."_

"Pein is not a single person, he is seven people in total." Gaara said.

"What, you mean like another organization?" Kakashi asked, frowning.

"No. He is one man, but he has seven bodies."

"Explain." Kakashi ordered, folding his arms.

"Yeah, I think I want to hear this too."

Jiraiya appeared from behind the water tower & stood beside Kakashi, folding his arms as well.

"Very well then." Gaara said, giving Jiraiya a sharp look, "The leader of Akatsuki, the man who calls himself Pein. He is the owner of the Rinnegan."

"What- Nagato?!" Jiraiya exclaimed, shock on his face, "That can't be true!"

"You're correct, it can't." Gaara replied, "Because he isn't."

"Well which is it?" Jiraiya asked angrily, "You say the leader possesses the Rinnegan, yet it's not Nagato? Who else could it be then?"

"The leader of Akatsuki is..." Gaara said locking eyes with the two Shinobi, "The Rikudō Sennin."

Jiraiya & Kakashi both stared at Gaara in shock.

"You're insane." Jiraiya said.

"How do you expect us to believe that?" Kakashi demanded.

"Whether you believe it or not is none of my concern." Gaara replied, "However if you let me speak, I will try to explain it to you."

The other too both calmed down.

"Fine, go ahead." Jiraiya said. Kakashi nodded in agreement. Gaara told them the story Madara had given him, leaving out his name, of course.

"_That hand sign... it was his reincarnation jutsu?" Gaara asked._

"_The very same." Madara replied, nodding, "The effect of that jutsu is that it not only ends the users life, that is just preparation for the jutsu's true purpose"_

"_What is that?" Gaara asked._

"_One day, I found one of his bases. Inside was a journal, which explained in detail the effects of Keiro no Hanasu, or as you called it, 'Paths Divide'. It stated that the purpose of the jutsu was to separate the users chakra & soul. These two then sought out newborn babies capable of taking them in. However, no newborn baby can survive having both a soul & chakra system taking over their body. The soul is reborn in one child & the chakra in another. Do you see the problem here?"_

"_The Rikudō Sennin would be reborn, but his power would belong to another!" Gaara said, eyes wide with shock._

"_Essentially, but what is more, is that the baby's brain cannot yet handle the information his soul would be giving it. In other words, the baby would have to mature before he could remember anything prior to his rebirth."_

"_But, by then the child with his chakra could be anywhere." Gaara said, "He could even be dead."_

"_Yes, he foresaw this as well, it was the greatest risk to his jutsu. But in the end it was a risk he was willing to take."_

"The Rikudō Sennin created a jutsu that would allow him to live through the generations." Gaara said.

"Why would he want to do that?" Kakashi asked, shocked by all that he'd heard.

"He did it to fulfill his ultimate ambition." Gaara replied, "He wanted to be a god."

"Wait!" Jiraiya exclaimed, "He wanted to be a god, that's what you said?"

"You see it now." Gaara noted, "The Rikudō Sennin was reborn in your students, Yahiko & Nagato."

"Your students?" Kakashi asked.

"I taught some kids ninjutsu a while back, so they could survive on their own." Jiraiya replied, a troubled look on his face, "It looks like that was a mistake."

"_Not entirely." _Gaara thought, thinking of Konan.

"So these were your students?" Kakashi asked, "Then does that mean...?"

"Yeah, I'd say they're at least on par with _him._" Jiraiya replied.

"At least?" Kakashi repeated, "You mean they're stronger?"

"If what Gaara-san says is true, then they may be the strongest Shinobi that have ever lived."

Jiraiya turned to Gaara.

"What else is there?" he asked.

"Anything else you can probably learn from that shard." Gaara said, "There is only one thing left that I will tell you."

"What is that?"

"Nagato is innocent. And I can save him."

Gaara turned & leapt of the roof, back onto the balcony. He entered the hotel room, where the others were still eating. He sat back in his chair & waited patiently for them to finish eating. When they were finished, Temari, Kankuro & Konan got up to go to bed. They were each about to enter their respective rooms when a voice spoke.

"Konan-chan molested Gaara." Kankuro said, shutting his door. Gaara & Temari both slowly turned to Konan, who looked like she wanted to die.


	24. Madara's last request

Here it is, the final part of the last time Gaara spoke with Madara. This is where almost my entire plan is revealed, it's kind of disheartning, now my secret intentions are out. BTW, sorry if my last couple of chapters weren't up to scratch, i haven't been as motivated as I usually am. But this story's nearing its conclusion, so i'll make sure it goes out with a bang! Hm, what a Deidara-ish thing to say.

Disclaimer: My ego can't be broken any more than it already has, so the disclaimers are back! woo... I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**Madara's last request**

"Hey, where is everybody?" Kisame asked, looking at the empty fingertips.

"We have suffered great losses in a short time." Pein replied, "Deidara & Sasuke are both dead. It appears Deidara betrayed us & attacked Sasuke."

Kisame looked at Itachi uncertainly.

"Your brother's gone… are you alright Itachi-san?" he asked.

"I'm fine." Itachi replied, "It doesn't matter."

"So cold, Itachi-san." Kisame grinned.

"Because of our large loss this will take over four days." Pein said, making his hand sign. Everyone else did the same.

"Fūinjutsu: Genryū Go Fūjin!" Pein called, summoning five chakra dragons from the Gedō Mazō, which struck the old man lying in the dirt.

"We have lost so many." Gaara said, "Can we complete our mission without the others?"

"If it becomes necessary, then we can recruit new members." Pein replied, "But we will have to do the sealing ourselves. None of the rings have been recovered."

"Sasori's was lost among the rubble. **Kakuzu's is in the possession of Konoha & Hidan has disappeared. **The way Deidara & Sasuke died means their rings were destroyed. **Regardless of how many members we have, it is pointless without those rings."**

"I never imagined Deidara would waste his life fighting Sasuke." Kisame said, before turning to Itachi, "Maybe what you two had wasn't really that special."

Itachi didn't reply, but Gaara saw the annoyance in his eyes. And the pain.

* * * * *

"What now?" Temari asked.

"We're leaving." Gaara replied, "I have been tasked with the capture of the Hachibi, we're heading for Kumogakure again."

"We're going?" Kankuro repeated, a pained look in his eyes, "Ok, let me go talk to Tenten first."

"Why? You're not coming." Gaara said, folding his arms.

"What?!" Temari & Kankuro exclaimed together.

"I need you to stay here." Gaara said, "To keep an eye on Naruto."

"You mean… you're really going to take him?" Temari asked, shocked.

"I can't have him interfering with this." Gaara replied, "Besides, I don't think Tenten would forgive you if you leave a second time."

Kankuro caught on & smiled.

"I hear ya." he said, "I'll keep watch on Naruto."

"Alright then. We'll see you in a week or two." Gaara said, leaving Kankuro in the hotel room. Konan & Temari both looked at him.

"You know, you've been the one putting all the work into their relationship." Temari noted, "Why would you go to so much effort for them?"

"I hate to say it, but Kankuro's not the kind of guy who has happy endings." Gaara replied, "Left on his own, he would never be able to find a relationship with any meaning. That's not the kind of ending I want for him."

"But, is it right to manipulate people into a relationship like this?"

"I just did the groundwork. I couldn't possibly force the feelings they had for each other, they developed those on their own."

Konan put a hand on Gaara's shoulder. He looked at her questioningly.

"Gaara, please stop manipulating people like this." she asked, pleadingly, "I know what this kind of thing does to people, it never ends well."

Gaara searched her face for a second.

"Very well, I will leave be, if that's what you want." he said. Konan smiled & nodded at him, "Ok then, lets get out of here."

Kankuro came out the hotel room, a look of relief on his face.

"Oh, hey!" he said, grinning, "I'll walk you to the gates."

"If you like." Gaara replied.

They left the hotel, heading for the main gates. The streets were quite busy today; a good way to leave. They passed many nameless people, no one they knew.

"Well, here you are." Kankuro said, stopping. The gates could be seen ahead, guarded by the same guys from before. Temari turned around & gave Kankuro a hug.

"See ya later bro." she said. Kankuro blinked before returning the hug.

"Later." he replied. Temari let go, smiling. She turned & headed to the gates. Gaara nearly followed, but Kankuro grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Temari's getting scary." he whispered in Gaara's ear, "Seriously, get her a man or something. She needs some balls to bust."

Gaara glanced at Konan, who was going on ahead.

"Don't worry about it." he replied, "It'll happen when you least expect it & bang, she'll have one."

Kankuro raised his eyebrows at his little brother.

"What a strange thing for you to say." he said, before grinning, "Well, see ya!"

"Here." Gaara said, pressing something into Kankuro's hand, "Keep a hold of that for me."

Kankuro blinked & looked at what was in his hand, "Uh, alright then."

Gaara nodded & caught up with the girls. They reached the main gates, where Temari smiled & waved at the guards, who looked away, annoyed.

"HEY, GAARA!"

Gaara looked back, surprised. Naruto was running their way, grinning & waving.

"Hey!" he said when he caught up, "You guys leaving already?"

"We've stayed long enough." Gaara replied, "We have places we need to go."

"Oh, right." Naruto said, "Hey, come back soon, yeah?"

"I'll try."

Gaara spotted something past Naruto. Kankuro was still standing there, watching them, but in another street, Tenten was also looking at them, confusion & sadness in her eyes. Gaara caught her eye & sharply nodded in Kankuro's direction. She gave Gaara a surprised look before turning to see what he was gesturing to. Kankuro was walking over to her, an apologetic look on his face. Tenten stared at him, her mouth hanging slightly open. Kankuro reached her & said something to her. She said something back, a hopeful look in her eyes. Kankuro grinned & nodded at her. She screamed & threw her arms around him. Gaara grinned at the two.

"Let's go." he said, turning around.

"Bye Gaara!" Naruto called. Gaara gave a small wave as he walked away, Konan & Temari behind him.

"So if we're going to Kumogakure," Konan muttered to herself, before looking at Gaara, "Does that mean you intend on sealing the Hachibi as well?"

"If necessary." Gaara replied, rolling back his sleeve, "Zetsu-san, what information do you have on the Hachibi Jinchūriki?"

"_You'll know him when you see him. __**Tsk, he's the Raikage's younger brother & he's rather eccentric. **__Eccentric? More like crazy, ha ha! __**Don't laugh when there's nothing funny!"**_

Gaara deactivated the ring, not wanting to hear another argument between those two.

* * * * *

They reached Lightning Country a few days later, when the forests disappeared & hills began forming. As the terrain changed to mountain paths, the temperature started decreasing. After a while they began breaking through some low flying clouds. Temari shivered.

"I hate it when that happens." she complained. Konan was fine with the dampness, she was used to it from living in Amegakure. One thing she couldn't cope with however, was the lack of air.

"I- I'm ok." Konan said, after Gaara asked her again. She wiped some sweat from her brow, she wasn't as ok as she pretended to be. Gaara spotted a small cave up ahead.

"We'll take a rest." Gaara said, stopping at it.

"I'm fine!" Konan repeated. Gaara entered the cave.

"Maybe, but we should rest regularly. It wouldn't do to be stopped ambushed while out of breath.

"Oh… ok." Konan said, following him inside. Temari, however stayed out.

"Are you coming, Temari-chan?" Konan asked.

"No, that's fine, I'll stay out here!" Temari replied, fear in her eyes.

"…alright then." Konan said, before turning to Gaara, "Is there something wrong?"

"When we were sent to Suna, the Shukaku captured Temari & buried her alive." Gaara replied, "Ever since then she has been claustrophobic."

Konan blinked & looked back at Temari, who was eying the cave warily.

"Yikes." she said, "That sounds tough."

"I'd imagine it was." Gaara agreed.

Later, they had left the cave behind, something Temari was glad of. They managed to find flatter terrain, which was a relief, telling them that Kumogakure wasn't far off. Eventually, the sighted the uppermost reaches of the village, the buildings crafted into the mountains.

"I wonder how the people here remember their Kage?" Temari said, curiously.

"What do you mean?" Konan asked.

"Well, in Sunagakure, they keep statues of the Kazekage in the councils meeting room. In Konoha, they craft the Hokage's faces into a mountain."

"So that's what they were?" Konan said, realization dawning on her face.

"Why, doesn't Amegakure remember their Kage?" Temari asked.

"Amegakure doesn't _have_ Kage." Konan replied.

"Oh, right." Temari said, sheepishly. The two of them looked up as Gaara walked off the path, heading for a less used road to the left.

"Where are you going?" Konan asked.

"Kumo Shinobi are very protective of the Hachibi Jinchuriki." he replied, "Being the Raikage's brother, it's not difficult to see why. If we are seen, capturing the Jinchuriki will be very difficult."

Konan & Temari both nodded, following him to the hidden path.

"This is the road I used when we came looking for the Nibi." Gaara said, "I take it you guys used a different method for getting inside?"

"Yeah." Temari replied, bitterly, "Apparently Uzumaki Naruto taught Kankuro a 'special distraction jutsu', that's all I'm gonna say."

"_A special distraction jutsu?" _Gaara thought, _"How clever, I wonder what it was?"_

They continued along the path until they found themselves near a large lake. Clouds were obscuring parts of the landscape, but they could make out a figure training on the water. As they drew nearer, the person became clearer. But as he became visible, so did they.

"Who's out there?" The Shinobi asked, frowning, "You don't look like Kumo folk."

"Stay back here." Gaara said to Konan & Temari, "Back me up if it looks necessary."

The two of them nodded as Gaara walked across the water. After briefly using the Shukaku's Eye, he confirmed who this person was.

"I take it you are the Hachibi Jinchuriki?" he asked, although there was no need. The Shinobi grinned broadly at Gaara's words.

"Course I am, but that ain't my name." he replied, "From all across Lightning Country, I am the legendary MC, the one, the only, Kirabi!"

He struck a pose while saying this, standing on one leg & holding out his hands like a puppeteer. Gaara folded his arms.

"Kirabi?" he repeated, closing his eyes, "He who strikes, with a buzzing tune, in the dead of night, alights the moon. Your bright colours are a warning, to all who see, from dusk until morning; the killer bee."

Kirabi dropped his pose, smirking.

"You ain't a bad rappa yo'self." He said, "But I know all about you, mister Sandman. You think it all gonna go to ya plan? Well I got some news for you, mister Sandman. You about to witness a drop in ya life span, mister Sandman!"

"Is there any need to use these words, where nothing good can occur? For the shining light, of Kumogakure, is it my wrath, you wish to incur?"

Konan sweat dropped.

"Are they really…?" she asked.

"Two things about Gaara," Temari replied, sweat dropping as well, "He's articulate & he hates to lose."

"You really don't know who ya messing with, do ya?" Kirabi said, grinning again, "Fine, if that's the you want to play, that's fine, I got all day!"

He reached behind him & pulled out a bundle of swords. He then threw them in the air & caught them in a strange way. He held a blade his mouth, one between his head & his shoulder, one in either elbow, one in his armpit, one behind a knee & the other between his thigh & stomach.

"Now you gon' feel my hooks!" he exclaimed, leaping at Gaara, who retreated to solid ground. It wouldn't serve him well to fight on the water.

"Heh, you runnin, fool?" Kirabi goaded, hopping across the water at an extraordinary speed, "But I ain't done wit' chu!"

Kirabi reached him & flipped at him, he looked like a razor tornado. Gaara was reminded of one of the genin from the chunin exams, the one who fought with his dog. Before Kirabi's attack could hit, the sand rose & blocked the attack.

"I forgot chu could do that!" Kirabi said, "Wha's the matter dawg, you a scaredy cat?"

Gaara didn't reply, didn't move. He just allowed the sand to defend him from the blades.

"Was the matter, ran out of rhymes? Ya need some help, just ask anytime!"

Kirabi leapt around Gaara, trying hard to beat the sand. But none of his strikes came close to contact, the sand stopping every strike.

"Come on, coward, fight me! If ya do, I promise you'll die quickly!"

That's when Gaara struck. The wall of sand that stood between them was destroyed as an inhuman arm broke through, flying at Kirabi, who smirked & leapt in the air, aiming all his blades at the Shukaku's arm. His strikes connected, sinking through.

"Ha, my blades have made it through! And now, it's time for-"

"Sabaku Kyu!"

At once, all the swords shattered, leaving Kirabi with only the hilts. The rapper stared in shock at his now useless blades, not even noticing when Shukaku's tail appeared behind him. Before he knew it, he was held in a vice-grip, unable to move his arms at all, even his breathing limited by the inability to expand his lungs. Gaara slowly pulled him in.

"I'm sick of hearing these rhymes, it's not a necessary way to talk." Gaara said, "There are only two possible results to this battle. You can come with us, or we can take you. I warn you, choose the latter & you will die."

"Heh, bored of the rhymes?" Kirabi replied, disappointed. And here I thought you were a genuine rappa."

"Sorry, that's not a personal hobby of mine."

"Oh well." Kirabi said, shrugging, "Guess that means I'm still the numba one rappa in all the land."

"Fine." Gaara replied, irritably, "But I need you to listen."

"Aight, fine, I'm listenin."

"Very well then." Gaara said.

"_As Yahiko grew older, parts of the Rikudō Sennin's memories began to resurface." Madara said, "I had heard tale of a boy with strange eyes living somewhere in Rain Country. But when I found him, I was shocked to see a boy who spoke just like the Rikudō once did."_

_Madara sighed._

"_I should have killed him right then. That way, I could have allowed the other to live. But however much a monster I may be, I could never hurt a child. As it was, I let them be. It was bad fortune that they would meet the legendary Sannin, that Jiraiya would choose to train them in the Shinobi arts, but he did."_

_He chuckled._

"_I still find it humorous the way Yahiko begged to be taught the ways of the Shinobi. After all, deep down he was the one who created Shinobi."_

"_I'm afraid humour is wasted on me." Gaara replied. Madara nodded._

"_Right, back to topic. Because of who they were, Yahiko & Nagato became inseparable. Years later, they were still together with Konan, although she had her own reasons for sticking with them. But by this point, their group had became quite powerful. It was there that I saw the opportunity to eliminate Yahiko before the Rikudō could fully emerge. I met with Hanzō & convinced him that Yahiko was a threat. Hanzō's paranoia was invaluable, he immediately set out to kill Yahiko."_

"_He was successful." Gaara replied, "Yahiko killed himself, so how could he possibly still be alive?"_

"_That was the one thing I couldn't account for. It would seem that even after a person dies, their soul remains in their body. Whether this is temporary or not, I don't know. Nagato flew into a rage upon Yahiko's death &, amazingly enough, managed to summon Gedō Mazō. After finishing Hanzō's henchmen, he found out through the Gedō Mazō all that he was capable of. You see, although the Gedō Mazō is technically a statue, it is still has chakra, making it somewhat living. It remembered the Sennin's abilities & upon summoning, Nagato remembered as well. Among the jutsu he discovered that with the Gedō Mazō he could take control of deceased bodies. He decided to use this knowledge on Yahiko's body, turning it into what is now known as 'Deva realm'."_

_Gaara's eyes widened, "Are you saying?"_

"_Yes. Once the connection between Nagato & Yahiko was established, the Rikudō Sennin's soul managed to take over Nagato's body, to an extent. He couldn't remove Nagato's soul, so he merely overpowered it. The result is that Nagato is aware of all that the Sennin sees & does, without being able to do anything about it."_

_Gaara stared at Madara, amazed._

"_But what I don't understand," Gaara said, "Is why he would do this? What is it he intends to do?"_

"_His ambition to become a god." Madara replied, "He intends to do this by killing every single Shinobi other than himself, making him the only person with true power."_

_Gaara was stunned._

"_To kill every Shinobi?" he repeated, "How is such a thing possible?"_

"_With the power of the Bijū inside the Gedō Mazō, he will have a weapon powerful enough to destroy the hidden villages."_

"_What?!" Gaara exclaimed, "Then why are we helping him seal the Bijū? Aren't we hastening our own destruction in doing so?"_

"_It may seem that way," Madara replied, "But it's the best way to keep an eye on him. Plus, I believe we can use the Bijū against him._

_Gaara blinked._

"_Use the Bijū… how could we do that?"_

"_Inside this scroll are the instructions for a special jutsu. Use it when the time comes."_

_Madara tossed a scroll to Gaara, who caught it carefully._

"_Your mission is to capture the Bijū, and kill the Rikudō Sennin. Do you accept?"_

"_Why can't you do this?"_

"_I've already raised too much suspicion. As it is, he is coming to kill me as we speak. But that's fine; I don't care. I'll be able to face my death knowing that this mission is in safe hands."_

_Gaara surveyed Madara, who looked to be quite dishelved. He thought back to Pein's words, they definitely seemed accurate. Perhaps Madara had lived too long. The man stared at Gaara, awaiting his reply._

"_I'm sorry, Madara-sensei." Gaara said, "But I refuse."_

Kirabi's brow was raised in surprise.

"That's some story." he said, "But then, who are you, to have something so important left in your hands?"

Gaara released Kirabi from his grip, the rapper dropped to the ground neatly, brushing sand off his clothes.

"At one time," Gaara said, "I was known 'Sabaku no Gaara', the Jinchuriki of the Ichibi no Shukaku. But when new information arose I became known as 'Gaara, the Pseudo-Jinchuriki apprentice of Uchiha Madara'. but now, I am known by only one title. I am Gaara… the true leader of Akatsuki."

Konan & Temari both stared at Gaara, stunned. Kirabi looked lost for words as well, thankfully.

"I have lost a lot of comrades." Gaara continued, "Without them, I don't know if defeating Pein is possible, but I won't let that stop me, I can't. I allowed my sensei to die believing that I was a traitor. I won't die with that being fact. And so I ask you for your help. Please, lend me your strength for this task."

Kirabi did something he wasn't used to & regarded Gaara seriously.

"Like I said, that's some story." Kirabi told him, "I can't say I completely believe you, it's not unlikely that this is just an attempt for me to come quietly."

Kirabi took a couple of steps back, looking out to the lake.

"However, if your stories true, then it won't be easy to launch a singing career with some madman killing half my audience.

Kirabi stood there, concentration etched on his face. He smirked.

"All right then, my partner has spoken." he said.

"_He was communicating with the Hachibi?" _Gaara thought, _"This can't be good."_

"I'll let fate decide if your telling the truth or not." Kirabi continued, facing Gaara with a grin, "If you can defeat us, then I'll come wit chu."

Gaara released the sand from the gourd, letting it pour into the earth.

"If that is what I must do, then I shall." Gaara said, wielding Sasayaki.

"Is it just me or is Gaara looking incredibly cool right now?" Temari asked.

"After saying all that, he has a lot to live up to." Konan replied, "By not thinking about looking cool, it just comes out of him."

The sand disappeared between the gaps in the rocks, doing their secret work. Gaara faced Kirabi, his face expressionless, the wind blowing through his hair. Kirabi face him, cracking his knuckles.

"Not bad little man, you seem to have captivated our audience." he said, gesturing to Temari & Konan, who were staring at Gaara, awestruck, "The stage is set to make you look like the hero, but when you stand against Kirabi, your chances are zero… hey that's pretty good."

He quickly drew from his pouch a notepad, on which he scribbled something down.

"I just came up wit a pretty good rhyme." he said, "So I'm in a pretty good mood. Aight, let's do this."

Kirabi charged at Gaara, striking at him with his fists. The sand blocked each strike, but as Kirabi's attacks became more ferocious, the sand was having a hard time keeping up with his attacks. Kirabi leapt back, onto the water.

"This is getting stale." he said, grinning, "If I want a fight, then I gotta hit you so hard you can't defend."

He held up one of his broken swords that was less damaged than the others. He gripped it tight & the blade extended, Raiton chakra forming a new blade. Kirabi smirked as he surveyed his weapon. He then came running at Gaara, spun on the ground & threw his blade at Gaara. The sand wasn't fast enough to defend, but Gaara was. In a single move, he struck the blade with Sasayaki, absorbing all the Raiton chakra, grabbed the hilt of the broken sword, spun round & swung Sasayaki, sending all the chakra straight back at Kirabi. The rapper watched in surprise as his own attack was turned on him. He barely dodged it, looking back as the ball of lightning flew into one of the surrounding boulders, obliterating it. But in doing so, he failed to see the broken sword that Gaara had also thrown, which embedded itself in Kirabi's thigh.

"Argh!" Kirabi growled in pain, reaching out & removing the sword.

"Aight, that was my fault." he said, "But now you gon' face the full force of my partner & I!"

Kirabi chuckled as a strange chakra covered his body, taking a menacing form. The chakra moulded into the shape of an ox with massive horns & three strange tentacle-like extremities. He threw his head to the side, the chakra ox copying his movements, a puff of steam blasting out of its partially-formed nostrils.

"Aaaaaw yeah, now it's on!" Kirabi exclaimed. He dragged his foot across the ground a couple of times, before charging at Gaara, "Rariatto!"

A pair of chakra horns grew from the cloak around Kirabi's left arm, lethal looking as they drew nearer. But as Kirabi reached his target, Gaara sidestepped him, the Shukaku's Eye replaced his own. At the very moment of passing, Kirabi looked to the other in surprise as Gaara's arm changed into the Shukaku's & grabbed him, using the momentum of his own attack to pick him up & throw him across the lake. Kirabi became very small looking as he flew through the air, disappearing completely as he crashed through the water. After that, silence.

"Is it over?" Temari asked, nervously.

_**BWOOOSH!**_

The lake erupted as an immense form burst through the surface, its body completely overshadowing the area, Gaara included.

"_So this is the Hachibi no Kyogyū." _Gaara thought, _"It's quite a beast."_

The Hachibi roared, sending shockwaves across the lake & land, Gaara had to shield his face to avoid being blinded by dust & sand.

"HROOOOM!!! SO THIS IS THE PEST THAT HAS GIVEN YOU TROUBLE, KIRABI? HOW PATHETIC. WELL NOW, LITTLE ONE, ALLOW ME TO MAKE THIS YOUR FINAL BATTLE!"

Chakra started to from at the Hachibi's mouth, shaping into a large sphere, crackling with electricity. The dark sphere grew in size, lightning visibly jumping across its surface. The Hachibi fired the sphere at Gaara at a speed impossible to dodge. Gaara did the only possible thing he could do. He raised Sasayaki.

"_I don't know if you can take this much power,_" he thought, _"But there's no choice."_

The sphere struck Sasayaki at the tip of the blade & froze mid-flight. The sphere was rotating at an incredible speed. The lightning jumped off the sphere & struck Sasayaki's blade, the naginata quivering under the sheer force. Perhaps miraculously, the sphere began to shrink in size, Sasayaki draining its power. Seconds later, the sphere had completely disappeared, Sasayaki glowing with the same dark colour of the sphere. But something was wrong. Sasayaki was glowing too brightly & it was vibrating dangerously.

"Sasayaki!" Gaara groaned, forcing his chakra around her in an attempt to keep her from exploding, "Do you really wish to die here, in the land of Raijin's descendants?"

The vibrating stopped abruptly, the dark glow dimming. Suddenly, all the lightning chakra burst from Sasayaki's tip, striking the water of the lake. The Hachibi roared in pain as it was electrocuted. Lightning continued to spill from Sasayaki until there was no more, the light gone. The lake had evaporated completely from the heat of the lightning, now just a large crater in the ground. Gaara placed her sheath on the blade & replaced her on his back. It wasn't safe to use her right now. Gaara looked back up to the Hachibi, who appeared disoriented from the attack. Gaara raised both his hands, sand burst from the ground, an incredible amount. He threw his arms forward & the sand obeyed, flying at the Hachibi, wrapping itself around all of the Bijū's many limbs & its neck. The Hachibi struggled violently, but the sand moved across the great beasts body, completely covering it. Gaara raised a single hand, fingers outstretched.

"Sabaku Kyu!" he cried. The sand pulsed, but maintained its shape. The sand poured off the Hachibi, who appeared uninjured.

"THAT'S ENOUGH. YOU HAVE PROVEN YOURSELF."

With that, the Hachibi faded away, Kirabi left crouching on the ground, holding his head. Gaara headed over to him.

"Damn, dawg, you fight hard." Kirabi said, grinning, "I like that."

"What happened?" Gaara asked, "The fight had barely begun."

"Let's just say I've been looking for an excuse to take a vacation." Kirabi replied. Gaara nodded.

"Very well." he said, "Then if you're ready, we'll leave immediately."

"That's fine wit me."

Gaara helped Kirabi to his feet & the two walked back to Konan & Temari, who took cover behind a boulder when the Hachibi appeared.

"Gaara, you were incredible!" Konan exclaimed.

"Yeah, I knew you were strong but…" Temari agreed.

"This battle wasn't a show of my strength; it was a show of my will." Gaara replied, "Kirabi-san ended the battle because he no longer wanted to fight. Now let's go."

The four of them walked back the way the three of them had come.

"_Gaara-san, we have some news for you. __**It appears both Uchiha Itachi & Hoshigaki Kisame have been killed by former subordinates of Orochimaru."**_

"I see." Gaara replied, "They're both dead? Looks like finally there's no-one left to stand in my way."

"_Ooh, how sinister sounding. __**You'd better not be planning on having us killed as well!"**_

"I don't think that will be necessary."

"_That's good to know. __**So when do we do this?"**_

Gaara glanced back at the others for a second.

"Now."


	25. Gaara's Daybreak

**Here it is. The final chapter of Gaara's Daybreak. I'm breathless, this is the end of this story (Plus it's my longest chapter, over 7000 words!) If you haven't left a review before, please tell me what you think. The only thing left for this is the bonus chapter: Sasayaki's Origin. Aaaaand maybe a teaser for my next story!**

**Disclaimer: I'm too psyched to be dumb, I don't own Naruto.**

**

* * *

**

Gaara's daybreak

Gaara sat there by the campfire, staring into the flickering flames. Konan was sitting beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. Kirabi was leaning against a tree, his notebook in his hand & tapping a pencil against his knee to a beat in his head. Temari was already asleep, her fan laying to her side.

"It's hard to believe this is almost over." Gaara said, quietly.

"I wish there was another way." Konan replied, "I don't want you to face him."

"I'll be fine. Now the other Akatsuki members are out of my way, I have a clear path to him."

"But still, do you really think you have a chance of beating him?"

"Do you?"

Konan was silent for a moment, considering carefully.

"There really is no-one else, is there?" she asked.

"Madara believed I was the one to do this." Gaara replied, "That means I am the only one he could entrust this task to. This is the reason for my existence, this moment."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But remember your promise."

Gaara smiled, "Once this is over, it's just you & me."

Konan smiled as well. That sounded nice.

"_Gaara-san."_

Gaara tensed. Konan felt it & looked up at him questioningly. He rolled back his sleeve & channelled chakra into his ring. He opened his eyes in a dark, unidentifiable room, the only visible thing being Deva realm, standing before him.

"You called me?" Gaara asked, bowing.

"Yes. With the deaths of Itachi & Kisame, there are only three of us left, we don't possess enough chakra to seal the Bijū. I need you to search for the lost rings, while Zetsu searches for new members."

"Very well. Is that all?"

"Our losses are too great & are occurring too quickly. There is a force working against us, one greater than Konoha. Keep your guard up, there's no telling what's going to happen."

Gaara bowed again, "I shall."

He opened his eyes, staring at the flickering flames of the fire. Konan was resting her head on his shoulder again.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"It seems he doesn't suspect me." Gaara replied, "But I can't be certain. It's very possible he'll be expecting us."

"So what's the plan?" Kirabi asked, leaning forward.

"There is a cathedral." Gaara replied, "Inside is a large statue. If we destroy it, the chakra rods will become useless & Pein's connections to his other bodies. That will force the Rikudō Sennin's soul out of Nagato's body & render him dead."

Konan shot up & stared at Gaara intently.

"Are you saying?" she asked, with begging hope.

"Yes. I can save Nagato."

Konan gaped, her eyes brimming with tears. She threw her arms around him, crying freely.

"Thank you Gaara." she whispered, gripping tightly, "Please, save him."

"I will." he promised, placing a hand on her back. He closed his eyes as he reached into his pocket & gripped the communication stone Madara had given him so long ago.

"_This wasn't how you planned it." _Gaara thought, _"I know you hate them, but I have no choice."_

"I hate myself for the way I've been feeling." Konan said, fresh tears forming in her eyes, "All this time I've been angry at Nagato, when it wasn't his fault. It was that damn Sennin!"

"You had no way of knowing." Gaara told her, putting his arm around her down.

"Yes I did!" Konan replied, her tears falling down her cheeks, "Nagato was so gentle, there was no way he could become someone like Pein!"

"When we save him, you can apologise." Gaara said in an attempt to calm hr

"Do you think there's any way he could forgive me?" she asked, uncertainly.

"If he's as kind as you say he is, then he probably doesn't blame you at all."

Konan was still holding him tight, even after sleep took her. He gently placed her on the ground & laid his cloak on top of her. He stood up & leant against a tree not far from where Kirabi was sitting.

"That's some woman you got there." Kirabi said, "You save this friend of hers & she'll be all ova' you!"

"That's not exactly my reason for doing this, but you're pretty much right." Gaara replied, "But taking Nagato into account, this battle will be harder if we have to consider his safety as well."

"Ain't that the same with every battle?"

"What I mean is that I don't know what will happen to him if we destroy the Gedō Mazō. It may kill him as well."

"Damn, that's right. Well then, what if you disable those 'chakra rods' you were talking 'bout?"

"I have already come up with a plan for that, but I don't want to use it because he may still be injured in the process."

"I don't think he'd mind injury, after what he's already gone through."

Gaara folded his arms, his brow furrowed.

"You may be right." he said. Kirabi smirked.

"What I rap comes from the soul baby." he said.

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry."

* * * * *

The sun appeared on the horizon, its brilliant light shining across the calming blue sky. Gaara watched the brilliant orb & smiled.

"I agree." he said. Slowly, his cloak changed in colour, the black background with red clouds completely disappearing. In its place, an image appeared, the same on the front as on the back. The image was of a mountainous landscape, with the summits reaching beyond the clouds. The centre of the mountains was split in the middle, with a river opening out to sea. And at the horizon, the sun was rising, fiery and red. But the ocean and river didn't reflect the colour of the sunlight, they instead shone with the white light of the moon. Outside this image was a beautiful blue sky, with white clouds strewn across it. The design was outlined by gold thread, making the cloak shine in the sunlight. Gaara felt tension within him release, for now he wore the true cloak of the Akatsuki, bearing the portrait of Madara's home.

"I like this better than the old one." Konan said, appearing by his side. She was wearing the same cloak as he was. Gaara smiled.

"This is what Madara wanted for us." he said, "A new dawn."

"You two look amazing." Temari said, strapping her fan onto her back. Gaara & Konan nodded in thanks.

"So we going then?" Kirabi asked, putting his notebook away.

"Yes, let's go." Gaara replied, walking off. He noticed how much lighter he felt now that he no longer wore that dark cloak. He was finally going to do it, to fulfil his destiny. As Konan walked beside him, he noticed how much more beautiful the cloak looked on her.

They walked miles to their destination, neither the two of them having their spirits dampened by the site of the mountain containing the Gedō Mazō. In fact, they felt glad of the site of it, they'd finally be able to put all this behind them.

Gaara blinked as he felt something in his right hand. Brow raised, he looked down at it. Those fingers… He looked up at Konan, who was smiling at him warmly.

"We're nearly there." she said, "Soon there will be nothing in our way."

"I can hardly wait." Gaara replied, squeezing her hand lightly, "But about Nagato…"

Konan's brow raised, "What is it?"

"There's no telling what condition he'll be in. he's been a prisoner of his own body for so long, he may have lost his mind."

Konan nodded sadly.

"Maybe, but he's my friend." she said, "He's gone through so much pain, I have to save him."

"We will." Gaara promised.

Temari walked beside Kirabi, looking at Gaara & Konan. She dropped her gaze to the ground.

"Huh, somethin' wrong?" Kirabi asked.

"My brothers have both managed to find someone to open up to." she said, sadly, "They don't need me any more."

Kirabi twitched nervously. This wasn't the kind of situation he was used to. Sure Samui, Karui & Omoi, his apprentices, were beginning to outgrow the need for him to protect them, but he still felt they needed him.

"Usually when it looks like they don't need you anymore, it's because you've given them all they can." he said, hoping he wasn't making this worse, "If you want them to always need you, then in it just becomes _you _needing _them_."

Temari nodded sadly, "I guess you're right."

"Damn straight I'm right." Kirabi replied, "Besides, pretty girl like you should have no problem finding someone who you'll need just as much as he needs you."

Temari looked away, "I don't really want to think about that."

"Oh? Sounds like you've been stung."

"… yeah, I guess you could say that."

Kirabi watched her with concern for a little longer before facing the road again.

"Yo Gaara-san! That the place?" he asked.

"Yes." Gaara replied, "This is where the Gedō Mazō is kept."

Konan squeezed Gaara's hand a little harder at the site of the entrance. They approached it slowly, noticing slight peculiarities in the landscape. A quick check with the Shukaku eye confirmed Gaara's fear.

"Damn." He growled, "He's in there."

"What does that mean?" Konan asked, worry etched on her face.

"He may know what we're planning." Gaara replied, "Either way, we're in for a fight."

"Against _him_?!" Konan exclaimed, "We don't stand a chance, he's never been defeated!"

"Don't worry, I have a plan." Gaara said with a look of determination, "Trust me."

Konan looked at him uncertainly for a moment. Then she nodded, swallowing her fear.

"Ok." she said, "Let's do this."

Gaara nodded at her, then turned to the boulder blocking the entrance. He pressed his hand against it & channelled his chakra into it. The boulder groaned as it rolled out of the way.

"Please wait out here." Gaara said, "I need you to keep an eye out for anyone who may turn up."

"Who are you expecting to come here?" Temari asked.

"Be ready for anything." he replied, "There's no telling how this may go."

With that, he & Konan entered the dark hallway.

Torches were lit along the walls, their eerie light casting shadows upon everything in view. The hallway seemed even longer this time around, their destination further away.

"So you've finally come." Pein's voice came from every angle, echoing across the walls.

"You've were expecting us?" Gaara asked, brow raised.

"Of course, you think I wouldn't know that my tower was broken into? The second you struck the water of dear Konan's prison, I knew who you were. You truly are Madara's apprentice, a manipulative fool."

"Manipulative? Yes. A fool? That's to be seen. But at least I don't cling to others like a parasite."

"A parasite? But that's exactly what you _are. _don't you realise that all humans are nothing but leeches, feeding off everything around them?"

"If that's the way you want to see it, fine. But you shouldn't speak down to people when you don't even know their capabilities. That leaves you vulnerable to your own arrogance."

"You think I have need to fear you?" Pein chuckled evilly, "For what reason should I fear a mere boy like yourself? What could you possibly do to me? Did you forget I am a god?"

"LIES!" Konan screamed, "Yahiko, you bastard! You tricked me!"

"Ah, Konan-chan, so you're here as well." Pein said, amusement clear in his voice, "But who is this Yahiko? You never knew him."

Pein laughed coldly.

"When my soul entered his body, I saw what he would be in time." he said, before growling, "He would be nothing!"

"You cruel son of a bitch!" Konan cried, tears falling down her face, "You were my friend, I loved you!"

"K-Konan?"

Konan froze.

"Nagato?" she called out, shock on her face.

"Konan…"

"NAGATO!" she screamed, running through the hall.

"Konan!" Gaara called, running after her. They burst out of the hallway & ran into the cathedral & froze.

"… Nagato-kun?" Konan whispered, her eyes wide in fear. Up ahead, on the once empty pedestal before the Gedō Mazō, stood a horrendous chunk of machinery, with cables & plugs wired into a skeletal figure. It was a young man, with dark red hair covering most of his gaunt face. Nagato looked up to them weakly, a look of pain in his eyes.

"Gaara… Konan…" he whispered, before yelling, "PLEASE, KILL ME!"

Gaara & Konan both stared in shock as they heard Nagato's request. He looked at them pleadingly, no hope at all in those Rinnegan eyes.

"Nagato…" Konan repeated looking at her old friend sadly.

"Nagato-san, we have no intention of ending your life." Gaara said, walking forwards, "We intend to give you your life _back_."

Nagato hung his head, "It can't be done."

"That's right."

Gaara stopped as another of Pein's bodies appeared beside Nagato, who didn't seem to even acknowledge the presence of. This pain had long, tied back hair & a chakra rod through his nose & attached to his cheek bones. This Pein smirked.

"This is my animal realm." he said, "More than fitting to stand before you creatures."

Gaara stared Pein in his eyes, seeing the evil inside. He took a couple more steps forward, facing his enemy.

"Pein, I have come here to put an end to your madness." he said, "If you surrender, then your next life may be peaceful."

Pein laughed again.

"Why would I need another life when I much prefer this one?" he asked.

"I see you've made your choice. Then words are pointless."

"Pointless? So you will succumb to your animalistic ways & attempt to kill me?" Pein asked, as if the idea was ridiculous, "Very well, I will allow you to indulge in your bestial urges."

He rolled back his sleeves & slammed his hand onto the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he called. From nowhere, five other Pein's appeared, including Deva, the real Rikudō Sennin who took his place in the centre.

"So this is Pein Rikudō." Gaara noted, surveying the bodies with anger.

"For you to witness." Pein replied, casually waving a hand to his other bodies. They stared each other down, neither making the first move. Pein looked at Gaara with an amused smile on his face.

"Are you so in awe that you cannot move?" he asked. Gaara glared.

"If you are so confident in your abilities." he said, "Then why don't we fight in the old fashioned way?"

As he said this, he removed Sasayaki & unsheathed her blade, holding her challengingly as he looked at Pein.

"Oh? This is how you want to fight?" Pein asked, watching Gaara with interest, "All right, I suppose I could humour you for a while."

He descended the stairs confidently, smirking at Gaara. Behind him, animal realm summoned something & threw it. A large sword flew through the air spinning violently. Pein caught it without stopping or looking, grabbing the hilt with the blade behind him. He reached the bottom of the stairs & pulled the sword round & held it with one hand, the tip pointed at Gaara.

"Come then." he said. Gaara growled & dashed forward, Sasayaki held by his side. He reached Pein & thrust Sasayaki forward, aiming at his heart. But Pein blocked it easily, batting Sasayaki away & placing a small cut on Gaara's cheek with the tip of his sword.

"Hmph, is this all the strength you can muster?" Pein asked, tauntingly. Gaara leapt back & held Sasayaki in a defensive stance, awaiting Pein's next move. Pein didn't disappoint as he ran at Gaara, his expression unchanging as he brought his blade down on Gaara, who blocked it. But Pein didn't back off, continuing to push forward with his blade, resulting in a struggle.

"I must say, I'm disappointed." Pein told Gaara. In a smooth motion, he lifted the hilt of his sword & gave Gaara an identical cut to his other cheek, before leaping back. Gaara grunted in annoyance at his failure.

"_He's toying with me." _he thought, wiping away some blood, "But the preparations should be complete.

He raised his hand towards the Gedō Mazō & sand burst from the ground, flying in its direction. Pein looked back in surprise as he saw the statue become covered in sand.

"Sabaku Kyu!" Gaara cried, the sand obeying. The entire cathedral shook as the sand pulsed on the statue. But something was wrong, the sand fell away from the statue, which was completely undamaged. Pein slowly looked back to Gaara, a knowing smirk on his face.

"Did you really think something like that would work?" he asked, "The power of the chakra inside the Gedō Mazō radiates from itself, forming an indestructible shield around it. But in you doing that, am I to assume this little 'fight' was just a diversion? In that case…"

Pein rose his hand to Gaara.

"Banshō Ten'in." he called. Gaara's eyes widened in shock as he was lifted off his feet by some invisible force & hurled towards Pein. Before he could do anything to resist, Pein lifted his sword.

"GAARA!" Konan screamed. Gaara looked down at his stomach. Pein's blade was embedded deep in it, his blood pouring down the sword & dripping onto the floor. He looked back up at Pein, who was looking at him expressionlessly.

"Shinra Tensei." he said. Gaara was thrown back across the room, hit the floor & rolled across it a few times before stopping near Konan, who rushed to his side.

"Gaara!" she cried, lifting his head.

"K-Konan…" he whispered, the light in his eyes dimming. Tears were pouring down Konan's face, she placed a hand over his wound, surprised to see sand covering it.

"Gaara," she whispered, "Please don't die."

Pein watched her, smirking.

"How sweet." he said, taunting, "Even after he has proven to be so weak, you still wish for him to live."

"SHUT UP!" Konan screamed, holding Gaara tight to her, "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"

Pein stood there, looking amused at her distress. He raised his hand, maintaining his smirk.

"Shinra-"

"Konoha Senpū!"

From nowhere, Maito Gai & Rock Lee appeared by Pein's side, aiming their trademark kick directly at him. Pein looked in surprise as they appeared, but didn't appear concerned. In front of him, human realm appeared, blocking the kicks with his hands. Gai & Lee leapt back, landing in front of Konan, who was staring at them in surprise. Neji & Tenten appeared by their sides.

"Team Gai, present!" Gai called. Many other Shinobi suddenly appeared.

"Team Kurenai, present!" Shino called.

"Team Asuma, present!" Asuma called.

"Team Kakashi, present!" Kakashi called.

Konoha Shinobi filled the cathedral, all of them facing Pein, who looked surprised. Pein leaned slightly so he could see Gaara past Lee.

"Was this your doing?" he asked, "You called for backup? Humph, how pathetic."

Naruto, who was standing by Kakashi's side, turned to see what Pein was looking at.

"GAARA!" he cried, running to his side, Temari & Kankuro had also appeared & were already beside Gaara.

"What happened?" Kankuro demanded, putting a hand on Gaara's wound.

"Pein, he-" Konan began, but was unable to finish her sentence.

"Pein?" Kankuro repeated, glaring at the person in question, "I'll-"

He made to get up, but felt something grab onto his sleeve. He looked back down to see Gaara gripping his arm.

"No, Kankuro." he said, weakly, "Stay out of this."

"But Gaara…" Kankuro said, filled with indecision.

"Where's Naruto-kun?" Gaara asked, looking around him. The hyperactive Ninja was nowhere to be seen.

"AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!" roared a voice. With extreme strain, Gaara lifted his head to see Naruto charging at Pein, a red cloak of chakra covering his body. Pein lifted his hand & Naruto was sent flying back beside Gaara.

"Naruto-kun." Gaara said, struggling into a sitting position, assisted by Konan & Temari, "Don't attack him like that."

But Naruto wasn't listening. He was about to charge Pein again when strange wooden posts lunged at him. The red cloak disappeared & a Shinobi appeared.

"Naruto-kun, please try to restrain yourself." the Shinobi asked.

"Urh, sorry Yamato-sensei." Naruto replied, rubbing his head.

"Naruto-kun, please stay back." Gaara said, "I need you here."

"Huh, what for?" Naruto asked, "Kankuro told me you needed our help."

Kankuro reached into his pocket & gave Gaara his communication stone back.

"Yes, I do need your help, but not yet. I need you & Kirabi-san to stay out of this."

Naruto looked up to Kirabi, who was grinning at him.

"So you must me the Kyubi Jinchuriki." Kirabi said, gesturing to himself, "I'm the Hachibi."

Naruto stared at Kirabi, before a large grin spread across his mouth.

"Hey!" he said, "Nice to meet you!"

"Likewise."

Pein stared at the group, annoyed.

"If we could get back to why we are here?" he asked.

"I agree." Kakashi said, "Gai-san, you take the one that blocked you. Shino-san, you take the big one. Asuma-san, you take the overweight one. We'll take the one with tied back hair. Move out!"

The Konoha Shinobi charged the paths of Pein, who moved to positions, Deva & Naraka standing back as the others defended them. Human realm leapt forward to intercept Gai's team, battling with intense taijutsu.

"Be careful!" Konan called out, "If he touches your head, he'll remove your soul!"

"Thanks!" Gai replied, aiming a kick at Human. Not far from their position, team Asuma were fighting Preta realm who, despite his size, was proving capable of dodging Shikamaru's shadow while blocking Choji's attacks & absorbing Asuma's chakra.

Asura realm was giving Team Kurenai some trouble, Hinata's Juken wasn't having any effect, Asura's body was too hard for her attacks to break through. Whenever Shino's insects would get close, Asura would open the crown of his head & a strange explosion of light would burn all the insets to ash. It fired two of it's hands out & was strangling Kiba & Akamaru, who were pinned to the ground. Kakashi's team was about to reach Animal realm when something happened. A wall of sand blocked their way. Sand was similarly getting in the way of the other teams, who stared in surprise. Kiba & Akamaru were released as the hands flew threw the air & back onto Asura's arms.

"The first clever thing you have done today." Pein said, looking at Gaara, who was shaking under the strain of holding up the wall of sand.

"Everyone," Gaara grunted, "Get back."

Everyone looked to Kakashi, who was frowning at Gaara. He nodded & they retreated, Kakashi walking over to Gaara.

"What's the problem?" he asked, not taking his eyes off Pein.

"He knows that if I have to summon one of my beasts in such a small area," Animal realm called out, "You would all be crushed under the debris."

"That's only a part of it." Gaara whispered, so only those nearby would hear, "I only wished for Naruto-kun to come, his bringing you all only complicates things."

"We weren't about to let him go off on his own, especially after all that you told us." Kakashi replied. Gaara nodded.

"That's understandable, but if you have to stay, then just stall him."

Gaara stopped talking as the strain grew too strong.

"You have a plan?" Kakashi asked, Gaara nodded, "Very well then, we'll do what we can."

He stood up & took a few steps towards Pein, facing him with complete confidence.

"You, Pein or Rikudō Sennin, whoever you are." he said, "What do you hope to achieve by sealing the Biju?"

Pein chuckled at Kakashi's words.

"Children can be so slow." he replied, "Have you honestly no idea what I intend to do? I'm going to kill you all?"

Kakashi frowned.

"Kill us all? You mean all ninja? Why would you do that?"

"Why not?"

The Konoha Shinobi were stunned by his answer.

"Ha, look at you all, you make it seem like my goal is such a strange thing. But tell me, how much do you really know about me? Just what my idiotic disciples spread around, that I was a religious man. Those imbeciles told their story completely wrong, I am not a man of god, I _am _god!"

Pein climbed down the steps, gesturing to the cathedral.

"What is there to disprove that fact? Mention my name to anyone inside Amegakure & they will all tell you the same. But no-one outside wishes to see me that way, they say I am just another Shinobi. You filthy Shinobi who have destroyed everything I have worked to create! There is only one way to achieve the peace I have worked so hard to create & to have everyone see me as the god I am! I must erase every Shinobi off the face of the earth & make myself the only person capable of its arts!"

"This guy's insane!" Kiba said, Akamaru barking in agreement.

"Insanity is just another state of mind." Kakashi replied, "Like anger, or apathy, it's seeing the world in another way."

"Very clever, Hatake Kakashi." Pein said, "Having lived many generations does give me an unusual outlook on life, I must admit. But my outlook is far from insanity. I have seen just how people think & how they act under struggle. You all seek to destroy whatever brings change to your boring lives. I aim to stop that, to show you that there is another way to live, a way to truly achieve peace! Stand by me & I'll allow you to live to see it!"

"You seek to control people, to make them act according to your will." Neji spoke out, "You wish to trap people in a cage, that is something I cannot allow."

Pein surveyed Neji with interest.

"A Hyuga, & by the sound of things, a member of the branch family? I know all about your clan, you're trapped by that seal they place on you. I can remove that, if you pledge your allegiance to myself."

"Trading one cage for another is no different than staying in the original!" Neji replied, "A different view isn't worth the torment of seeing what more I cannot have!"

Hinata looked at her cousin sadly.

"Like all Konoha Shinobi," Pein said, "You remain loyal to your own beliefs. Commendable, but it will cost you your life."

Pein took a step forward, but stopped, surprise on his face. Before him, eight figures appeared, wearing black cloaks with red clouds.

"You… you're all alive?!" Pein exclaimed in shock.

"We had reason to believe there was a traitor among Akatsuki." Kakuzu said, "But we had to make sure. But the false comrade has now revealed himself, we came to face him."

They all faced Gaara.

"What a strange turn of events." Pein said, turning away, "Very well, kill them."

The eight members of Akatsuki stood between Pein & the Konoha Nin. Sasori, Deidara, Kakuzu, Hidan, Itachi, Kisame, Zetsu & Sasuke. Gaara looked at them all.

"So here you are." he said, "It looks like I failed to kill you."

"You did." Sasori replied, "You aimed to get us out of your way, so you could achieve your goal."

From his sleeve fell a scroll, which he grabbed & unravelled with one hand. A puff of smoke appeared & when it dissipated, a large puppet appeared draped across Sasori's shoulders, the Sandaime Kazekage.

"And you did it in the best possible way."

Pein barely managed to dodge as, from nowhere, Hidan's scythe flew at him.

"After all," Itachi said, "What better way to get someone out of your path, than to have them walk alongside you?"

The Akatsuki members all formed the same hand sign & their cloaks changed to match Gaara & Konan's. They then all turned to face Pein, who had retreated behind his other bodies.

"You dare betray me!" The Pein's roared, "I am your leader!"

"You?" Sasori asked, "You think you pull the strings?"

"You who has no appreciation for life?" Deidara asked.

"Who values yourself above all else?" asked Kakuzu.

"You, who claims to be a god?!" Hidan exclaimed.

"You have no honour, only hatred." Itachi said.

"You are a monster, inside & out." Kisame added.

"In the end, **you stand alone." **Zetsu said.

"Why would we stand beside scum like you?" Sasuke asked, glaring. Gaara, with the help of Kankuro & Naruto, got to his feet.

"A god is measured by how many believe in him." he said, "But in here, no-one sees you as any more than a tyrant."

Pein glared at them all, hate filling his eyes.

"You worthless dogs!" he growled, "All I offered you, you'd throw that away?"

Every single one of them nodded in unison.

"I see… then I have no choice but to kill you."

"Yeah right fucker, just try it!" Hidan cried, dashing forward. Kisame & Sasuke seemed to share his idea, as they ran at Pein as well, whipping their swords out as Hidan held his scythe. Itachi flew through a series of hand signs & blew a giant fireball from his mouth, aimed at the real Pein. Zetsu had disappeared beneath the ground & Deidara climbed on a clay bird, his hands digging in his pouches.

The paths of Pein moved at the same moment. Asura grabbed Samehada, not even reacting to the blades digging into his arm, smile maintained. Human realm blocked Hidan's scythe with his palms & Preta was absorbing the chakra of Sasuke's Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Chidorigatana, the Raiton chakra disappearing.

"Are the preparations complete?" Kakuzu asked.

"Almost." Sasori replied, "Now."

Kakuzu whipped off his cloak, revealing masks attached to his heavily stitched skin. One of the masks seemed to move, trying to pull itself off Kakuzu's body. It succeeded, the mask levitated into the air. A dark energy appeared behind the mask, forming into a grotesque body.

"Get back!" Kakuzu roared at the others. They complied & leapt behind Kakuzu & Sasori, who faced Pein confidently.

"Raiton: Gian!" Kakuzu cried, the mouth of the mask splitting open as a large blast of lightning burst from the hole, aimed straight at Pein. Preta realm ran to the front, facing the lightning.

But before the lightning got even close to Pein, it broke off. The lightning split off in many directions, but maintaining itself.

"What's going on?" Pein demanded, looking around him, paling, "No…"

Suddenly, every one of Pein's bodies jerked violently as electricity coursed through them.

"What happened?" Naruto asked, brow raised.

"The Sandaime Kazekage's Kekkai Genkai." Gaara replied, taking an aided step forward, wincing, "Iron sand, combined with Raiton chakra."

The paths of Pein shook violently under the assault, but the lightning was beginning to dissipate.

"Quick!" Gaara said, urgently, "Naruto-kun, Kirabi-san channel your Biju's chakra at them!"

Naruto looked confused, but did as he was told, as did Kirabi. Gaara clasped his hand into an unrecognizable seal.

"Biju Wana no Jutsu!" he cried. Chakra from Naruto & Kirabi burst forward, bringing the two to their knees. The Gedō Mazō reacted as well, its mouth breaking off as chakra burst out of it, flying at Pein. The chakra melded in the air then cloaked itself over Pein, who stared in shock. The chakra then formed into bonds, keeping them form moving.

"Now, Naruto-kun," Gaara whispered, under great strain from his wound & the amount of chakra he'd put into the Jutsu.

"Right!" Naruto replied, getting to his feet. He ran up to Pein, standing before him. Sasuke appeared behind Pein, smirking at Naruto.

"Ready, dobe?" he asked, a Chidori appearing in his hand.

"S-Sasuke!" Naruto stammered, before grinning, "Bring it on teme!"

A Kage Bunshin appeared by Naruto's side & together they made a Rasengan. When the sphere was complete, the Bunshin disappeared.

"Let's do this!" Naruto cried, sprinting forward, throwing his arm forward. Sasuke ran as well, his Chidori before him. The two Jutsus met & an explosion of chakra radiated through the cathedral. A black sphere enveloped Naruto, Sasuke & Pein's bodies. When the sphere disappeared, Naruto & Sasuke stood, winded from the explosion, but otherwise fine. Pein, however, was a crumpled heap on the floor, the chakra rods in his bodies smoking from being overloaded with chakra. Naruto & Sasuke leapt back as Deidara threw clay spiders at Pein's bodies.

"KATSU!" he cried, explosions blowing Pein's bodies apart.

"AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!" Nagato screamed, as the chakra rods in his back exploded. The Gedō Mazō crumbled into rubble, dust billowing across the cavern. Everyone covered their faces as the dust blew into their faces.

"Is- is it over?" she asked, turning to Gaara, "Is it-"

She paled. Gaara wasn't breathing.

"Gaara? GAARA!" she screamed. Sakura ran over to them, moving Konan out of the way.

"He's been cut deep." she said, checking his wound, "The sand stemmed the bleeding for the most part, but he needs to be seen to right away."

She pulled her gloves off & placed her hands over the wound, green chakra emanating from the gap between her hands & his wound.

"Something's wrong." she said, "It feels like something's resisting."

"_NOW BOY, FEEL THE POWER OF MY EXISTENCE!" _the Shukaku roared triumphantly.

"Sakura-chan, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, appearing by her side.

"I don't have enough chakra to heal him!" Sakura replied, sweat forming on her brow.

"Use mine!" Naruto said, placing his hands on top of hers, "It might hurt however."

"That's fine. Just focus your chakra."

She strained under the pressure of healing Gaara's wound, which didn't appear to be changing.

"I can't do it!" she cried, visibly shaking under the strain. She blinked as another pair of hands were placed on top of Naruto's.

"Yes you can, Sakura." Sasuke told her, "I believe in you."

"Sasuke…" Sakura whispered, before nodding determinedly, "Ok!"

The three of them channelled their chakra into healing Gaara's wound, each of them showing strain from trying to overcome the Shukaku's chakra.

"_GET OUT! STOP THIS, I WILL KILL HIM!"_

At a painfully slow rate, the wound was healing.

"Its working!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Shut up dobe, let her concentrate."

Temari bent over to see how Gaara was doing, worry plain on her face.

"_HER! THIS IS ALL HER FAULT! BLOOD! I WANT YOUR BLOOD!"_

"Something' happening!" Sakura said, "His arm is changing!"

"What?!" Temari exclaimed, "The Shukaku's-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Gaara's partially mutated arm grabbed her throat.

"Gack-Gaara!" she chocked.

"Someone get his arm!" Kakashi ordered, him & a couple others trying to wrest his grip. Gaara's dead looking face twisted as a frown appeared on his brow, concentration etched on his face.

"_How many times must I deal with you? This is my body & she is my family, leave us alone!"_

"_HAA HA HA HAA HAA HAAA!! YOU WILL NEVER BE FREE OF ME! I WILL KILL YOU ALL & PROVE MY EXISTENCE FOR ALL ETERNITY!"_

Gaara's mouth twitched as he tried to speak.

"Ka-Katon…" he croaked.

"What?" Naruto asked, "What's he saying?"

"Ka-ton…."

"I don't understand it." Sakura said, frowning.

"The Shukaku is a Futon nature beast!" Kankuro exclaimed, "He wants you to use Katon chakra in your healing!"

"But that-" Sakura began.

"Fine." Sasuke interrupted, channelling his Katon chakra into Gaara's body.

"_AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!! THE FIRE! IT BURNS!"_

"_GRRRRRRRRHHHHH! THIS! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FROM ATTACKING THOSE I LOVE!"_

"_AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!"_

Gaara's arm twitched, trying to finish Temari off. But as Gaara's arm began to revert to its normal state, it threw Temari across the cathedral.

"I've got her!" Deidara cried, grabbing her & falling back, his body cushioning her fall. Temari was unconscious.

"Almost…" Sakura groaned, as the wound nearly closed.

"Gaara!" Konan cried, grabbing his hand, "Stay with me!"

Inside Gaara's mind, a burned & bruised child lay on the ground.

"_Is he gone?" _the child thought, _"The demon, I can't hear him anymore."_

"_Gaara-kun."_

The child sat up, rubbing his head. Standing before him was-

"_Madara-sensei?"_

"_You did an excellent job, Gaara-kun. Better than I could have imagined."_

"_How are you here?"_

"_I was aware of the risks of putting the Ichibi inside you like that. An old adversary used a similar method on his son. I did the same. You won, Gaara-kun. You defeated the Rikudō Sennin. Thank you."_

"_Your will is my own, Madara-sensei."_

"_Now I only have one last task for you."_

"_What is it?"_

"_Live."_

"What is this?" Sakura asked, "There's another chakra source, and it's healing him!"

"This is…" Sasuke said, Sharingan active, "Uchiha chakra?!"

"Madara?!" Itachi exclaimed.

"_Goodbye, Gaara-kun."_

"_Goodbye, Madara sensei."_

"It's done!" Sakura exclaimed, pushing Naruto & Sasuke's hands back.

"Is he ok?" Naruto, Kankuro & Konan asked simultaneously.

"Guuuhh…"

"Gaara!" Konan cried, grabbing his hand.

Sakura stood up, pulling Naruto back. Sasuke backed off as well, giving Gaara some room. He opened his eyes.

"Hnnn!" he groaned, sitting up.

"Are you alright?" Konan asked, worriedly.

"I think so." he replied, rubbing his head, "But I think…"

He tried to change his arm, but it failed. He sighed.

"The Ichibi's chakra has been removed from my body." he said.

"Are you able to stand?" Kakashi asked. Gaara uneasily got to his feet.

"Yes." he replied, rubbing his head again, "Sakura-san, could you please check on _him._"

He pointed at Nagato, who didn't seem to have noticed anything of the battle.

"What, why should I help _him_?" Sakura asked, angrily.

"He wasn't in control of his body. The Pein's we destroyed have been controlling him for years."

How horrible." Sakura gasped, nodding, "All right."

She rushed over to check on him, her blonde Kunoichi friend close behind. Gaara picked up Sasayaki & used her to support himself as he limped over to Nagato, with Konan beside him.

Nagato was laid down on the ground, Sakura & her friend checking his body over.

"He's got severe malnutrition." she said, "Sleep deprivation & his muscles are weak from lack of use."

Sakura looked up to Kakashi.

"We have to get him to a hospital. That machine he was in is probably the reason he's still alive, but without the statue, it stopped working."

Kakashi nodded, "Sai-san, please take Nagato-san to Konoha hospital, he is to be treated carefully."

"Hai!" A pale skin boy said, whipping out a scroll & a brush. In seconds, he summoned a bird of ink & placed Nagato gently on top of it.

"Nagato-kun." Konan said, touching her friends hand.

"Konan-chan, am I really getting out of here?"

Konan smiled, "Yes, you are."

Nagato looked lost, he didn't know how to react.

"Gaara-san." he called out, "Thank you."

"It's fine." Gaara replied, leaning on Sasayaki. Sai took Nagato away, the bird hovering in the air.

"Sai-san," Gaara called out, "You should probably shield his eyes, he won't have seen sunlight in a long time."

"Hai."

They were gone, leaving everyone else in the cathedral to fall silent.

"So…. Now what?" Hidan asked, scratching his head.

"Technically, you guys are all S-rank criminals." Kakashi replied, "So we should try to bring you in."

"What?! You son of a bitch!" Hidan yelled.

"But, under the circumstances, the effects of the battle will have caused us to make a tactical retreat." Kakashi added.

Kisame smirked.

"Perhaps." he said.

"But seriously… what now?" Hidan asked, "Now Akatsuki's over with, what are we going to do?"

No-one replied, no one knew what to say.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, "You'll be coming back to Konoha, right?"

"Hey, Sasuke-kun!"

They all turned around in surprise as three people entered the chamber.

"What is it Suigetsu-san?" Sasuke asked.

"You're done here? When are we leaving?" Suigetsu asked.

"Yeah, let's get out of this dump!" Karin exclaimed.

Sasuke turned to face his team.

"Taka has met its goal." he said, "There is no reason to remain as it is. Go your own way."

"WHAT?!" Karin exclaimed, "You're ditching us?!"

"I don't really care." Suigetsu said, "All I want is _that._"

He pointed at the Samehada on Kisame's back. Kisame grinned. He pulled out Samehada & held it up to his mouth. He whispered something to it.

"Here." he said, throwing it at Suigetsu, who caught it, surprised.

"You're giving this to me?" he asked, shock evident on his face.

"I'm retiring." Kisame replied, making a hand sign. A puff of smoke appeared as he finally dropped his henge, revealing himself to be a brown haired, tanned man, "I heard rumour of a medic-nin capable of healing Itachi-san's illness. Me & him are going to check up on it."

Itachi nodded.

"Sasuke-san." The person who must be Jugo spoke up, "If you'll let me, I'd like to continue travelling with you."

"Jugo, that's fine." Sasuke replied.

"WELL SCREW THIS!" Karin yelled, "I'm out of here!"

She turned around & left, but no-one seemed to notice.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said.

"Naruto-kun, I'm going with Itachi." Sasuke said, before smirking, "But I promise I'll come back every now & then to kick your ass, alright dobe?"

"Bring it on teme!" Naruto replied grinning.

Hidan walked over to Kakuzu, who was checking the remains of Pein.

"So what are you going to do?" he asked, crouching down beside him.

"With this guy dead, I'll claim Akatsuki's assets for my own." Kakuzu replied, "The money I'll gain should allow me to relax for a while."

"Heh, still thinking money's most important." Hidan joked.

"What about you?" Kakuzu asked, "Our partnership is effectively over, you gonna go back to just wandering around & killing?"

"Nope." Hidan replied, looking around the cathedral, "I'm taking this place! I'll convert it for Jashin-sama!"

Kakuzu sat up, looking at Hidan.

"I don't think Konohagakure would leave you be with sacrificing people so close to them." he said.

"Yeah, but according to the scriptures, creating a temple in Jashin-sama's honour is greater than any sacrifice. Once I fix this place up, I'll spread the word of Jashin-sama all around!"

Further across the cathedral, Temari was waking up. Deidara helped her to her feet, looking at her with concern.

"Ow, my head." Temari complained, before blinking & looking at her brother, "Gaara! He's ok!"

She tried to run to him, but Deidara grabbed her arm & pulled her close to him, kissing her. Temari's eyes were wide with shock.

"You… but you, what about…?" She stammered. Deidara smiled.

"I don't have a reason to kill Itachi-san anymore." he said, "I hated him because of what he was making my art into; something dark & evil. But now my art has done something good, it stopped evil. I no longer bear a grudge against the Uchiha."

Temari's eyes watered as she threw herself at him, kissing him with a force that surprised him.

"What do ya know?" Kankuro said, "And 'bang!' she's got one."

Sasori walked over to Kakuzu.

"When you're done, I'll take those." he said.

"Fine." Kakuzu replied.

Zetsu walked over to Gaara.

"It looks like you did it. **Good job."**

"Thank you." Gaara replied, "So what are you going to do now?"

"Oh, I guess I'll go back to Kusagakure. **They're probably wondering where their leader is."**

As Zetsu disappeared, Konan mouthed to Gaara, "He's the leader of Kusagakure?!"

"_They, _are the leader of Kusagakure." Gaara replied. Konan laughed.

"All right." she said, "So where do we go from here?"

"Where do you want to go?"

Konan smiled, "I have an idea."

She grabbed the back of Gaara's head & pulled him in, kissing him.

* * * * *

"So how is he?" Gaara asked.

"He should be alright." Konan replied, "He said that once he gets out, he's going back to Amegakure, to be their leader."

"A leader's quite a step down from a god."

"Yeah, anyway, are we leaving?"

"Yeah."

Gaara turned to Naruto.

"Maybe I'll see you around." he said.

"You better!" Naruto replied. They shook hands, Naruto grinning broadly. Gaara then turned to Kankuro.

"Take care." he told him.

"Heh, I'll be fine!" Kankuro replied.

"He's got me!" Tenten said, her arms around his waist.

"He sure does." Konan said, laughing.

"Well, we'd better leave." Gaara said, "If we want to get there in time."

"All right." Konan said, waving goodbye.

"Hey, Konan-san."

Gaara & Konan both glanced to their right, were Shikamaru's was leaning against the gate.

"Don't be too troublesome for Gaara-kun." he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Konan asked, smirking. Shikamaru's shrugged.

"Goodbye, Shikamaru-kun." Gaara said.

"Later." Shikamaru replied, waving as he walked away.

"Right. Later."

He & Konan bade farewell to their friends one more time, before turning round & setting off for Yukigakure.

"We've had sand." Gaara said.

"And rain." Konan replied.

"Now for some snow!" Umibe announced, happily.

As they walked away, a figure appeared in a tree, hidden in the shadows.

"Have a good life, Gaara." Madara whispered.


	26. Sasayaki's Origin

**Sasayaki's Origin**

Gaara looked down upon Sasuke, who was glaring at him, hate in his eyes.

"There is a story." Gaara said, "It isn't a well known one. Not a lot of people would openly speak of it. It says that Raijin, the god of thunder & lightning, had a daughter. But when she was born, he was angry; he wanted a son. In his rage, he locked his daughter in the cellar of his domain. Whenever Raijin was angry, he would storm down the stairs to the cellar, & beat his daughter. She learned to fear the noise of his arrival, the sound of thunder. It always meant he was angry. But one day, she realised that being afraid wasn't going to change her destiny. She realised that she needed to escape."

Gaara looked at Sasuke, who's eyes were fixed on him. He continued.

"One day, after a particularly severe beating from Raijin, she found that he had forgotten to lock the cellar door as he left. She instantly took advantage of his mistake & fled, praying that she'd never hear the sound of thunder again."

Gaara glanced up at the crowd, surprised to see them hanging on his every word.

"However, the effects of Raijin's beatings had left his daughter very timid & shy. She spoke only in whispers & adopted the name 'Sasayaki'. When Raijin found out she was gone, the whole world heard a roll of thunder. Sasayaki was walking through a street when she heard it. Out of fear, she ran into the nearest door, which happened to be the entrance to a tavern.

As she looked for a place to hide, her eyes met that of a young man, who was stunned by her beauty. He vowed to protect her forever, & the two fell in love. However, it was not to last. Three days after they had gotten married, Raijin broke into their home, intending to take his daughter back. But the young man refused him, challenging the god to a fight. As they fought, the young man ordered Sasayaki to run. But in that moment, Raijin impaled the man with a bolt of lightning. Sasayaki managed to escape, but she no longer felt the will to live. She had lost the only person who had ever shown her kindness. Suddenly, she felt something she had never felt before. Hate. She wanted to make Raijin pay for everything he had done to her. But she realized that she couldn't face Raijin alone, so she sought help.

"She pleaded with the wind god, Fūjin, to help her fight her father. As she told him her story, the great & terrifying god wept for her, something he hadn't done in a very long time. He agreed to help her, but not to directly conflict with Raijin. Instead, he told her the secret to defeating the lightning. He told her to take this knowledge & build a weapon with it, one suitable for fighting a god. She made a beautiful naginata, which she poured her heart & soul into, until it became beautiful enough for the destiny it would face.

"She faced Raijin, & they fought. Her naginata succeeded in defeating Raijin's lightning. Raijin knelt before her, begging her mercy. Sasayaki looked down on the person who had caused her so much pain & suffering, who had killed the one person she had ever loved. But she refused to turn into the being of hate that her father was. And so she forgave him. But as she turned to leave, Raijin stabbed her in the back. As she died, she realised that Raijin had done her an unintended kindness. As she breathed her last, she saw her love, just beyond the realm of life. She left this world smiling, but her naginata remained.

"As I said, she poured not only her heart, _but her soul _into this naginata. Alongside it came her hate of Raijin & his lightning. So you see, anyone who uses Raiton chakra against her _will _be defeated."

Gaara held Sasayaki up to eye level, surveying her beauty.

"Such pain, to create something so beautiful."

He lowered Sasayaki, staring Sasuke in his eyes.

"A child of Raijin could never win against her. This battle was over the second you used that attack."

Gaara replaced Sasayaki on his back & walked away.

"Proctor, this match is over."

* * *

Ok, so not very long. This was originally going to go in during the actual fight at the chunin exams, but i felt it distracted too much from the story.


	27. Teaser

**The Fox's Will (Teaser!)**

Naruto walked down the lonely street, kicking a stone across the ground. The sun was setting behind him, casting his shadow long down the street. As Naruto watched his shadow, he was sure he saw it take the form of a fox, if even for a second.

"Dad?" he called out, "Are you there?"

He paused for a second, before giving a small smile.

"Right." he said, "So what should I do?"

Again, he paused, as if awaiting an answer.

"I don't know, I'd probably get in bad trouble." he replied, "Maybe I can change her mind?"

Another pause, this time it lasted longer.

"Thanks dad." Naruto said, his smile widening, "You're the best."

He left the street, turning to the entrance of his apartment. As he climbed the stairs, Sakura peeked at him from an alley, a sad look on her face.

* * *

And that's all you're getting, at least for now! I'd like to thank SpriterX for sticking with Gaara's Daybreak to the end. I'd like it if you gave me your thoughts on this story as well.


End file.
